A Study On Feudal Monarchy Of Latin Kingdom In Jerusalem

The academic community has been studying the feudal monarchy for a long time.In the 1930 s,John L.La Monte,deeply influenced by "feudalism without authority" and "constitutionalism",interpreted the history of the feudal monarchy of the Kingdom of Jerusalem as "constitutional evolution".This pioneered the study of its political history.Subsequently,some western scholars questioned and revised Monte's academic tendencies.Nevertheless,the great influence of Monte's research has not dissipated.Based on the previous studies,this thesis revisited this issue.Throughout the history of the Kingdom of Jerusalem,the main factor determining the succession of the throne has always been hereditary rights.The kings of the First Kingdom succeeded in establishing hereditary monarchy in the Holy Land by sacrificing themselves,arranging succession order and using the expansion of territory to attract nobles.However,in the Second Kingdom,due to the lack of male heirs,aristocrats often intervened in the succession of the throne by electing co-rulers for the Queen,which increased their influence.But in general,hereditary is the first principle of the succession of the throne.The secular aristocracy is an important political force in the kingdom.Because of the existence of common interests and natural contradictions,there are both cooperation and struggle between them and the feudal monarchy.In the first Kingdom,the relationship between the two sides was represented by the cooperation under the leadership of the feudal monarchy,and the kingship was able to control the secular aristocracy through multiple means.In the second kingdom,this situation was reversed.The relationship between the two sides was manifested by the conflict led by the secular aristocracy.The trend of the growth of the secular aristocracy and the intent of the king to limit its growth have led the two sides to move from a moderate conflict to a military confrontation.Because of the coordination of the Roman church,the Jerusalem church is more submissive than the secular aristocracy.Its conflict with the feudal monarchy ends with the compromiseof the church,which causing little destructiveness,which caused little damage.Among church and kingship,feudal monarchy was dominant.The church cooperated with the king in various affairs,met the king's wishes,and was in a dependent position.The relationship between the feudal monarchy and the three great Principality is contrary to the former.The three Principality have independent administrative organs,legal system and autonomy in foreign affairs.They are more independent and have a distant relationship with the feudal monarchy.Through the study,it can be found that in order to rule the whole country effectively,the feudal monarchy established a complex governing institution.The existence of these institutions strengthened the control of the monarchy over the country,and also proved that feudalism and bureaucracy were not incompatible.In fact,the feudal monarchy of the Kingdom of Jerusalem bears the dual status of "monarch " and "feudal lord".Its status has experienced a development process from weak to strong and then strong to weak.From this,It can be concluded that the factors affecting the change of the status of feudal monarchy are multiple.Feudalism is only one of them.Feudal dependency relationship can not cover all social relations.And feudalism will play the role of centripetal force as well as centrifugal force.As to the Kingdom of Jerusalem,it mainly played the role of centripetal force in the first Kingdom and centrifugal force in the second kingdom.Therefore,the view that the feudal monarchy of the Kingdom of Jerusalem was weak and toward "constitutional evolution" is a manifestation of presupposition before historical construction.And the view was also regarded feudalism as the only narrative mode and stood on the position of "feudalism without authority".