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Four Kingdoms
(1,453 words)

1. Medieval background

The theory of four world kingdoms goes back to a prophecy in the OT book of Daniel (Dan 2:37ff.; see Reich 1.4.). According to this historiographical theory (History), sacred history consists of a sequence of four worldwide kingdoms, which the Middle Ages (following patristic exegesis in late antiquity; Jerome) identified with the Babylonian, Persian, Greek,…

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Wendehorst, Stephan, “Four Kingdoms”, 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_029776>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180126



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