ABSTRACT
Kingship had a sacred aspect. The reciprocal relationship between metaphors and imagery in politics and theology further intertwined images of God as king, Christ in majesty, or the king mirroring Christ. This mirror imagery can be found not only in manuscript illuminations, but also in the language of ritual and ceremony. Kingship had a sacred aspect. Some theorists justified kingship on the demand of the people rather than solely on an inherent human sinfulness. The quasi-sacramental process of anointing and coronation was intended to impart special gifts to the king. The king's regular participation in the Church's sacraments was considered important to good rule. Courtliness or chivalry as a model of behavior was a way of moulding a king's value system when there were only limited institutional constraints. Usurpation of power by the king's brother, uncles and nephews was a far more serious threat to the kingdom's population.
