The Emergence of the Modern State
How did the modern state emerge in Europe? This question is at the heart of a new international research project. From a legal-historical perspective, state formation refers to the process by which personal rule gave way to institutions and trained officials—a process whose origins date back to the papal curia of the 11th century.
The central question is how the Curia shaped the development of legislation, jurisprudence, administration, and finance in the European kingdoms and how this gave rise to a community of European states with equal rights. A purely national legal history cannot answer these questions—a comparative, pan-European approach is necessary.
To this end, a consortium of 15 leading canonists and legal historians from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Scotland came together in May 2023. At annual conferences, various aspects of modern statehood are discussed and published in the languages of canon law. The first conference took place in June 2025 in Frankfurt am Main on the topic of the state and revolt; the second will follow in June 2026 in Paris on the Res communes.
The project has a twofold objective: to gain new insights into European legal history and, at the same time, to introduce early-career scholars to international research collaboration at an early stage.
List of speakers:
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Chiodi; Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, I-20126 Mailand, Italy; Chair of Legal History (Milano-Bicocca University).
Prof. Dr. Orazio Condorelli; Via Auletta, 13 - 2° piano, Catania, Italy; Chair of Canon Law (University of Catania).
Prof. Dr. Wim Decock; Sint-Michielsstraat 6, Belgium - 3000 Leuven, Belgien; Legal History and Comparative Law (University of Louvain).
Prof. Florence Demoulin-Auzary; Bâtiment Bréguet, 3 Rue Joliot Curie 2e ét, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; History of Law and Institutions (Université Paris-Saclay).
Prof. Dr. Antonia Fiori; Piazzale Aldo Moro 500185 Rome, Italy; Associate Professor, Department of Legal Science (University of Rom (Sapienza)).
Prof. Dr. Mark Godfrey; 5 The Square, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom; Professor of Legal History (University of Glasgow).
Prof. Dr. Hans-Georg Hermann; Prof.-Huber-Platz 2, 80539 Munich, Germany; Institute of Bavarien and German Legal History (University of Munich (Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität)).
Prof. Dr. David von Mayenburg; Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 4, 60629 Frankfurt on the Main, Germany; Chair of Legal History, History of Canon Law and Civil Law (University of Frankfurt (Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main)).
Prof. Dr. Silvia Di Paolo; Via Ostiense 161 Rome, Italy; Associate Professor, Department of Legal Law (University of Rom (Sapienza)).
Prof. Franck Roumy; Centre Panthéon Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, Paris, France; Chair of Legal History and History of Canon Law (Université Panthéon-Assas).
Prof. Dr. Mathias Schmoeckel; Adenauerallee 24-42, 53113 Bonn; Institute of Legal History and Civil Law (University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)).
Prof. Joaquìn Sedano; Campus Universitario 31009, Pamplona Spanien; Professor of Hisotiry of Canonical Sources and History of Canonical Institutions (University of Nevada).
Dr. Clarisse Siméant, Maître de conférence; Bâtiment Bréguet, 3 Rue Joliot Curie 2e ét, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, Paris, France; History of Law and Institutions (Université Paris-Saclay).
Prof. Dr. Andrew Simpson; Old College South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL; Professor of Scottish Legal History (University of Aberdeen).
Prof. Dr. Rosalba Sorice; Auletta 13 95124 Catania; History of Medieval and Modern Law (University of Catania).
Prof. Dr. Jørn Øyrenhage Sunde, Jark Higabs Gate 47, Oslo, Sweden, Department of Public and International Law (University of Oslo).
Prof. Dr. Heiki Pihlajamäki, PL 4 (Yliopistonkatu 3), Helsinki, Finland; Academy Professor, Faculty of Law (University of Helsinki).
Prof. Dr. Ditlev Tamm, Karen Blixens Plads 16, 2300 Copenhagen, Norway; Professor emeritus (University of Copenhagen).