THE SCENE: King Hakon IV of Norway describes his fairly enlightened perspective on the role of a king in Medieval society.
THE TEXT: I surely do believe, with respect to what you have just asked about, that kingship was established and appointed to look after the needs of the whole realm and people rather than for sport and vain amusements. Nevertheless, a king must be allowed to seek diversion now and then, either with hawks, hounds, horses, or weapons, so that his health and agility at arms or in any form of warfare may be preserved. His chief business, however, is to maintain an intelligent government and to seek good solutions for all the difficult problems and demands which come before him. And you shall know of a truth that it is just as much the king’s duty to observe daily the rules of the sacred law and to preserve justice in “holy judgments” as it is the bishop’s duty to preserve the order of the sacred mass and all the canonical hours.
– The King’s Mirror, King Hakon Hakonarson, 13th Century AD
