THE KING'S MIRROR 35 



kingship in 1136. During the next century several pre- 

 tenders appeared and civil war became almost the nor- 

 mal state of the country. Between 1103 and 1217 fifteen 

 princes were honored with the royal title; eleven of 

 these were minors. The period closed with the defeat 

 and death of King Hakon's father-in-law, the pretender 

 Skule, in 1240. 



It was thp history of these hundred years and mnrp nf 

 loirit kin fif S rp *"* of pretenders, of minorities Q^>H r>f fivil 

 hiVh thf* author of thf* King'ft Mirror hod in rnjp.fl 

 ' gloomy r>Viflpf Pr nn t^e calamities 



Perhaps ne was thinking more es- 

 pecially of the unnatural conflict between King Hakon 

 and Duke Skule,* which was fought out in 1240, and the 

 memory of which was still fresh at the time when the 

 King's Mirror was being written. 



Of the king and his duties as ruler and judge the 

 Speculum Regale has much to say; but as these matters 

 offer no problems that call for discussion, it will not be 

 necessary to examine them in detail. Wholly different 

 is the case of the Ring's rpfafjpn t.p thfi r,hurrh 3 of the 

 position, of the church in the state, of the divine origin 

 .ol .Jkingfthifi, of the fuhe^oLthe rpyaj authority jQr 

 these questions the author's opinions and arguments are 

 of great importance :(in the history of the theory of king- 

 ship by the grace of God and divine right and of abso- 

 lute monarchy, the Speculum Regale is an important 

 landmarkA 



In the discussion of the origin and powers of the royal 

 office, the King's Mirror again shows unmistakably the 



* See below, p. 48. 



