Jens Grand, Erik Menved, eds. Hellere Fanden selv end Erik pÖ¥ Tronen! Konflikten mellem Jens Grand og Erik Menved 1294-1302. Odense: Odense University Press, 1999. 260 pp. DKK 225.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-87-7838-341-9.
Reviewed by Linda Rasmussen (History Department, Syddansk University)
Published on H-Skand (May, 1999)
This book treats the conflict between the archbishop of Denmark, Jens Grand, and the Danish king, Erik Menved, between 1294 and 1302. The main text is a translation into Danish from the Latin of the judicial process taken to the papal court. Included are also related documents such as literary evidence about the plight of Jens Grand, and evidence to illustrate the remaining years of the life of Jens Grand after he had been transferred from the archbishopric of Lund to Riga and finally to the archbishopric of Bremen.
The source material is introduced by a discussion setting the scene of the conflict. There are brief descriptions of the economic and social structure of Danish medieval society in the thirteenth century and a more lengthy discussion sets the political scene by describing points of potential conflict between the king, aristocracy and the church. Another notable conflict between a king and an archbishop--the one between Kristoffer I and Jakob Erlandsen--is also included in this section. And, finally, the particular problems facing the king, Erik Menved and the archbishop, Jens Grand.
A concluding section summarises the historiography of the conflict. The subject of the book touches on a key discussion point in Danish medieval history--the supremacy of the royal power versus the ecclesiastical authority. The thorough presentation of some difficult source material and the useful indices at the back of the book will make it particularly valuable to students of history.
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Linda Rasmussen. Review of Grand, Jens; Menved, Erik, eds., Hellere Fanden selv end Erik pÖ¥ Tronen! Konflikten mellem Jens Grand og Erik Menved 1294-1302.
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