Medieval law and the foundations of the state alan harding abstract the state is the most powerful and contested of political ideas both loved for its promise of order and hated for its threat of coercion this book shows how the idea first emerged from medieval systems for the administration of justice and enforcement of peace these . The law of land holding 201 property and liberty 211 estates of people 221 the law of injuries and the public peace 240 8 the monarchical state of the later middle ages 252 the state of the realm and political continuity 252 the state of the king and government for the common good 257 the contested state of richard ii 263. Medieval law and the foundations of the state alan harding p cm includes bibliographical references and index 1 law medieval 2 law europe history 3 state the history i title kj147 h37 2002 34055094 dc21 2001036406 isbn 0 19 821958 x 13579108642 typeset in sabon by regent typesetting london printed in great britain on . 1worcester college oxford close mobile search navigation article navigation