2. The Divine Right of Kings in Europe
In medieval and early modern Europe, monarchs like Louis XIV of France and James I of England wielded the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings to legitimize their authority. They claimed that God himself had appointed them to rule, making any challenge to their reign a sin against the divine order. This concept, detailed at History.com, allowed kings to centralize power and suppress opposition, shaping the political landscape of Europe for centuries.
