Lands of St Peter: The Papal State in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance

The Lands of St. Peter: The Papal State in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance explores the evolution of the Papal State, a dominion under the Roman bishop's rule from the eighth century to 1870. This scholarly work delves into the complex interplay of religion, politics, and regional governance that shaped the territories known as the "lands of St. Peter." With a focus on the social, legal, and political dynamics, the book examines the Papal State as both a religious institution and a collection of diverse Italian regions. The narrative avoids the abstraction of "temporal power" in favor of a grounded analysis of local politics and societal circumstances, emphasizing the pragmatic challenges faced by prominent figures like Gregory VII and Innocent III.

Through its detailed political history, this book challenges the conventional tendency to highlight the peaks of papal power at the expense of everyday governance. It balances the high-level ideas of papal authority with the lived realities of the state's administration and its interactions with Frankish kings, emperors, and the Italian populace. Maps and descriptive accounts provide geographical and historical context, making it accessible to readers unfamiliar with Italian topography. While acknowledging the methodological ambiguities inherent in studying a dominion that straddled both religious and regional identities, the book presents a comprehensive view of the Papal State's evolution and its profound impact on medieval and early Renaissance Europe.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.