The Catholic Church supported the claims of monarchs primarily through the doctrine of the divine right of kings , which asserted that monarchs derive their authority directly from God. This doctrine held that questioning or disobeying a monarch was tantamount to questioning God’s will, thereby legitimizing royal authority as sacred and unquestionable
. Key ways the Church supported monarchs included:
- Theological justification: Church teachings, drawing on biblical texts such as Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and Augustine’s City of God , maintained that secular rulers were placed by God to govern society and protect the Church’s interests. Disobedience to the monarch was framed as a sin, reinforcing the monarch’s authority as divinely sanctioned
- Political alliance: The Church often formed close alliances with monarchs, granting them powers such as appointing bishops in exchange for loyalty and protection of the Church. This "alliance of throne and altar" strengthened monarchs’ political legitimacy and intertwined religious authority with royal power
- Advisory roles and influence: Senior church officials frequently served as advisors to monarchs, influencing policy and governance. Some bishops and archbishops were also feudal lords or sovereign rulers themselves, further embedding the Church within the political hierarchy
- Defense of monarchy against rivals: Church figures like Jacques-Benigne Bossuet defended absolute monarchy and the divine right in sermons, especially during times of political upheaval such as the Enlightenment and the French Wars of Religion
- Symbolic and ritual support: Monarchs were often anointed and crowned by Church officials, symbolizing their divine mandate and reinforcing their sacred status in the eyes of their subjects
While the Church supported monarchs as divinely appointed rulers, it also maintained that monarchs were subject to natural and divine law, meaning tyrannical or unjust rulers could be morally criticized within a theological framework, though outright rebellion was generally condemned
. In summary, the Catholic Church supported monarchs by providing a religious and moral foundation for their authority, integrating Church and state power, advising rulers, and promoting the idea that monarchy was part of God’s ordained social order
