Sovereignty is a norm of the International system upon...

Sovereignty is a norm of the International system upon which the ‘society of states’ rests. Territorial sovereignty refers specifically to the power of the state ‘the territorial limits within which state authority may be exercised on an exclusive basis.’ This essay will explore the concept and development of sovereignty within the system of states. Firstly, it will identify the state system before the ‘Peace of Westphalia’ in 1648, then it will compare the ever changing forms of sovereignty since, and the reasons for change, which have established the modern form of sovereignty which exists today. The ‘Middle Ages’ - Before Sovereignty Before the ‘Peace of Westphalia’, States relied upon different normative foundation’s to†¦show more content†¦Instead, Europe was overlapped with continuously altering Lordships, in which municipal Governments, Dukes or leaders of religious organisations had a ‘proprietary right’ to land, over which they could exercise control. Lordships were usually, though not always, inherited by nobility or dynasties. These rulers had an almost autonomous rule over their territorial land, with only a small say belonging to wealthy class citizens, and little involvement by Kings. The land owned by these rulers stretched like an archipelago, in that it was scattered amongst the territory of other rulers, with the central portions interrupted by intervening jurisdictions. This led to leaders having to rule their territory differently on where its position was. For instance, Prussian Kings ruled as Absolute Monarchs in Konigsberg, but in Berlin they ruled as the Royal Vassals of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’. The ‘Middle Ages’ – An Emergence of Sovereignty? A political idea known as ‘respublica Christiana’ emerged in the Middle Ages, as the closest sovereign institution before the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. A joint arrangement, between the Sacerdotium, led by the Pope, and the Regnum, led by a designated emperor, ‘respublica Christiana’ was ‘universitas’ in that it was a unified authority devoted to Christian ‘redemption and salvation’. Although, this unification differs completely from the ‘societas’ notion of the sovereignty norm, in the Middle-Ages it was a bridge which helpedShow MoreRelatedSovereignty Is The Central Organising Principle Of The System Of States990 Words   |  4 PagesSovereignty is the central organising principle of the system of states. Since the end of the Cold War, the nature of sovereignty has seemingly changed from one that endows states with absolute infallible rights, to one that grants them certain responsibilities. The international system was not always arranged regarding sovereign states. Throughout the Middle Ages alternative legal arrangements governed Europe and states lasted up until the modern period. 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