Erasmus and István Magyari on the Justification of War

Mihály Boda

doi:10.32565/aarms.2020.1.9

Abstract

Warfare ideologies in Europe basically changed in the Early Modern period. This period is the age of Reformation, of which Desiderius Erasmus was one of the earliest prominent thinkers. Concerning warfare, Erasmus can be understood as a representative of pacifism, but at the same time, it can be argued that he was the first reformer with a specific theory of justification of war. In this respect, Erasmus had several followers from every part of Europe, including Hungary. This Hungarian “apprentice” was István Magyari, who was also the first representative of Hungarian military science. This paper uncovers and examines the common points of Erasmus and Magyari in their theory of justification of war, and Magyari’s divergence from Erasmus’ thinking.

Highlights

In order to examine reformers’ warfare ideologies I will build on a specific theory, the just war theory in the form crystallised and systematised by the 13th century by Thomas Aquinas. [1: 171–177] this theory is characteristically Catholic in its content, I can set aside this Catholic content and focus exclusively on the formal features of the theory
BODA: Erasmus and István Magyari on the Justification of War purpose of war, and the second considers the right intention rule as the rule of waging a war with charity. The former interpretation of the right intention rule fits into the requirements of ius ad bellum, the latter one is a rule of ius in bello
Magyari’s theory is a form of just war theory, whose key points are the legitimate authority restricted by the representative function of the prince; the just causes for initiating a war for defending Christian faith, the issue of own country and neighbouring country; the modern form of the rule of right intention; the rules of proportionality and right intention of his age; and last but not least, the rules of ius ante bellum

Summary

Just War Theory in the Middle Ages

In order to examine reformers’ warfare ideologies I will build on a specific theory, the just war theory in the form crystallised and systematised by the 13th century by Thomas Aquinas. [1: 171–177] this theory is characteristically Catholic in its content, I can set aside this Catholic content and focus exclusively on the formal features of the theory. Thomas Aquinas listed three rules as ius ad bellum rules: the rule of legitimate authority, according to which only the prince was authorised to initiate war; the rule of just cause, according to which war is permitted to initiate only for punishing the breakers of peace and to defend peace; and the rule of right intention. The latter rule has two interpretations for Aquinas, the first concerns the extension of Christian peace as the further. The former interpretation of the right intention rule fits into the requirements of ius ad bellum, the latter one is a rule of ius in bello

Erasmus on the Justification of War

Conclusion