During the Middle Ages the rule of law limited the executive power and influence of each ruler. The period is divided in two, with the Early Middle Ages in first place (until 1100) followed by the Early Middle Ages (1100-1350). Feudal constraints were important in reducing the power of medieval kings due to the expansion of empires, custom also limited powers due to the importance and weight placed on them during this period, and natural law also limited kings medieval due to the fact that it brought a weight to positive law that was not present in Roman times. In this essay I will show how different constraints developed during the Middle Ages and how executive power was limited during this period. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the Early Middle Ages, the legal limitations a king had were that he had no authority to make new laws, and when they did, the king's subjects had to consent to this change. This greatly reduced the dictatorial power that the kings had and was largely due to the feudal system that was beginning to be introduced. In the early Middle Ages, the feudal system involved the exchange of land and protection in exchange for support from local lords for the king (Kelly, 1992, p. 97). These individuals were the ones who agreed or did not agree to the legal changes proposed by the King, although there was a limitation here, it could be argued that with the correct exchange, the Lords would support certain laws which may not be beneficial to the majority but to them themselves. . On the other hand, due to the growth and strengthening of the European kingdom, feudal law developed and served as a model in other areas. This created a more complex government structure which in turn limited the power of medieval kings, significantly reducing the king's power as his control was no longer centralized. Customary constraints also impacted a king's power during the Early Middle Ages. They were unable to change the laws that affected customs, as they were seen as an integral part of life that should not be changed. Likewise, in all empires there were multiple leaders, as stated earlier, through the feudal system. This meant that there were different customs and laws depending on the area you lived in, which in turn diluted the power the king had throughout the empire. Natural law also played an important role in limiting the power of the king in the early Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, natural law was considered to correspond to the will of God and was rooted in the heart of man. However, unlike Roman times, natural law prevailed over positive law, meaning that the king's power was minimized as he could not ignore natural law to benefit themselves or those around them. During the Early Middle Ages, the limitations were slightly developed compared to previous years. When making laws, kings and leaders were only allowed to change the law if it benefited the general welfare, this shows a greater restriction than in the early Middle Ages as in Roman times there was the idea that the emperor was at the above the law and “whatever he likes has the force of law” (De Wilde, 2019), and even more so than in the Roman and Greek periods, where kings were more able to pass laws to suit their own interests . In the early Middle Ages it was stated that human law can only be changed if the benefits outweigh the costs associated with the change. This limits the positive law that kings can implement, since when these laws are passed, they must.