Bishop Robert Filmer

Bishop Robert Filmer (1588–1653) was an English political theorist and clergyman, best known for his work "Patriarcha," where he argued that monarchs derive their authority from divine right, suggesting that kings are God’s appointed rulers. Filmer's ideas supported hereditary monarchy and opposed the emerging concepts of popular sovereignty and democracy. His views were influential in the debates of his time, especially during the English Civil War, but later faced criticism from thinkers like John Locke, who championed individual rights and government by consent. Filmer's legacy is tied to the tension between monarchy and emerging modern democratic ideals.