Interpretation of Law in the Political and Legal Thought of Western Europe during the 12th–13th Centuries

Abstract

This article explores the views of two outstanding medieval thinkers, John of Salisbury and Thomas Aquinas, on law (its types, functions, and purpose). Their intellectual reflections were based on the theoretical political knowledge and historical context of the time and played a key role in the development of “scientia politica” during the 12th–13th centuries. Both thinkers distinguished between Divine, natural, and human (civil) laws, emphasizing their interconnectedness and interdependence within society. The obtained results show that they had a Christian worldview, where the king, guided by the three laws and the principles of justice, was destined to lead his subjects toward the “common good”, ensuring their freedom and happiness.

Keywords

• law in the middle ages
• john of salisbury
• thomas aquinas
• political knowledge (“scientia politica”)