Divine Right (Noun)
Meaning
The doctrine that kings derive their right to rule directly from God and are not accountable to their subjects; rebellion is the worst of political crimes; "the doctrine of the divine right of kings was enunciated by the Stuarts in Britain in the 16th century".
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The absolute monarchs of Europe long claimed to rule by divine right, their authority coming directly from God.
- The English Bill of Rights marked an end to the idea of the divine right, limiting the power of the monarch in many significant ways.
- Modern historians view the doctrine of the divine right of kings as a medieval attempt at providing a foundation for monarchic rule.
- Through his speeches and writings, the Stuart king aimed to establish his right to rule through the divine right theory, much to the discontent of the English Parliament.
- The rejection of the divine right of kings also occurred in other countries like France, as the power of constitutional governments grew over the centuries.