ABSTRACT
When Ernst Kantorowicz was asked to fill out a sales promotion form for The King’s Two Bodies in 1957, he put down under “places lived”: “Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Rome, Brussels, Berkeley, Princeton,” and under “travels”: “too many to be recorded here: all of Western and Central Europe, Turkey, Greece, etc.” Had there been a space for “military campaigns,” he might have provided: “Verdun, Russia, Turkey, Posen, Berlin, and Munich (last three paramilitary)”; and had there been another for “controversies waged,” he might have provided: “Mythical View” controversy (1929–30), Frankfurt Jewish Professor controversy (1933–34), Berkeley Loyalty Oath controversy (1949–50). Given the peripaties of such a career, one wonders at the perseverance that enabled him to produce some of the most carefully researched, original, and influential work in medieval history of the twentieth century.
