| Abstract |
The institution of the Peerage of France, which started to appear in the late 12th century and lasted for three centuries, manifested a special form of power attribute in the Kingdom of France. Through their privileges at the royal coronation and the ebb and flow of their status in the judicial and especially the political dimension, the Peerage of France is a key indicator of the transition of Kingdom of France from the feudal system to a monarchial system. Initially, there were six clergy and six lay peers playing their respective roles at the coronation. Compared to other nobles, these peers were also more highly respected and viewed as more important and powerful by the king. As royal power expanded from the beginning of mid 13th century, especially during the reign of Philip IV, increasingly more lay peers were created. Most of the new lay peers were nobles related to the royal family, thus symbolizing the rise of the influence of royal family on the Peerage of France. Furthermore, the power of important nobles was curbed during the Hundred Years’ War, and the comtes of Champagne and Toulouse and the dukes of Normandy and Burgundy were incorporated into the royal territory. From the initial 『Twelve』peers growing to a peak of twenty-six, the importance of the Peerage of France declined and gradually disappeared with the expansion of royal power. Hence, this article investigates the interaction between the French monarchy and the feudal lords during the late medieval period, as well as examines the evolution of the Kingdom of France from a feudal system to a monarchial system through the transformation of the political role of the Peerage of France. |
