The Power of the Popes

The boundary between religious authority and political rule drives P. C. F. Daunou's historical argument. Beginning with the early Church, he traces the growth of papal claims to territory and sovereignty, questioning the documents used to support them. His discussion of the Donation of Constantine shows his method: examining a claim's history, comparing earlier references and arguing against its authority.

The translator's preface links the inquiry to disputes between Pius VII and the French Emperor. Later chapters place the papacy among competing states and rulers, with the struggles of Italian cities and the Visconti family forming part of the account. Daunou argues for the independence of civil government, giving readers a stated position to weigh as they follow the historical narrative. The book suits readers studying church and state, particularly the ways spiritual leadership becomes entangled with questions of land, law and allegiance.