Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Deposition (political)
(1,423 words)

1. Premises and history

Although the action of deposing a prince ran fundamentally counter to the principle of Divine Right that was generally accepted in the early modern period, it was repeatedly discussed, aspired to, and even done. The Middle Ages provided numerous models, since emperors had deposed popes and popes in turn deposed emperors and kings, while in a countermove a pope could also be deposed by cardinals (e.g. the three competing popes depose…

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Schnettger, Matthias, “Deposition (political)”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_019571>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170626



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