Medieval law and the foundations of the state alan harding abstract the state is the most powerful and contested of political ideas both loved for its promise of order and hated for its threat of coercion this book shows how the idea first emerged from medieval systems for the administration of justice and enforcement of peace these . Medieval law and the foundations of the state alan harding 3 contents abbreviations x 1 introduction state word and concept 1 state as regime 2 state as commonwealth 5 2 frankish and anglo saxon justice 10 the first courts 10 grants of property and protection 13 pleas before the king 16. 1worcester college oxford close mobile search navigation article navigation. Medieval law and the foundations of the state by alan harding new york oxford university press 2002 392 pp 6500 the dictum with law shall our land be built enunciated in the thir teenth century islandic njals saga and echoed throughout medieval scandinavian legal compilations is the underlying theme of this study of