History, Hierarchy and the ‘Powers that Be’ in Medieval Political Thought

This article examines three contributions offered by John of Paris, Giles of Rome and James of Viterbo in the wake of a famous contest between Boniface VIII and Philip IV. Each takes up the Aristotelian principle that what is posterior in time is more perfect than what is prior , which leads to a consideration of the nature, origin and scope of the ‘two powers’, the potestas spiritualis and the potestas temporalis . Their reflections demonstrate medieval efforts to harmonize historical contentions regarding the efficient or agential causes of power, with more abstract or formal considerations of dignity, legitimacy and hierarchy.