Constitutionalism before 1789
The great era of constitutionalism spans from the American revolutionof 1776 to the octroyed French constitution of 1814. Yet, theEuropean constitutional mechanisms and way of reasoning can betraced much further back. This volume displays the need to expand,restrain and at the same time legitimise state power from the 12thcentury and beyond the great era of constitutionalism in order todemonstrate its historical reach.The Church was an early example of a state-like and centralisedpower, and thus contributed greatly to the development of a stateorganised Europe. This volume examines the Church as a drivingforce behind constitutional reasoning and as a developer of constitutionalpractice throughout the Middle Ages. Feudal law, with itscontractual based system of rights and duties, could regulate societyon several levels and thus was another source for constitutional reasoningand practices.
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