The medieval prototype

THE PROTOTYPE. One authority above every throne; one law above local sovereignty; a man in God's seat; and an exclusion switch — excommunication and interdict — that cut individuals and whole kingdoms out of participation, from one centre, without appeal.

In plain words

The medieval prototype: one authority above every throne, one law above every land, a man in God's seat, and a switch, excommunication and interdict, that cut people and whole kingdoms off from one centre. Structurally, and only structurally, it is the endgame built and run for two centuries, failing on reach, crudeness and the chance to leave: the three limits a global system priced person by person would remove.

The mechanism

THE ENDGAME, BUILT AND OPERATED — assembled once in the Latin West and run for roughly two centuries. It failed on exactly three limits: bounded by geography, applied collectively and coarsely, escapable by leaving Christendom. A global, individually-priced, continuously-evaluated rail removes all three

How it was checked

• EvidenceT5 INDEPENDENT SECULAR; Status: COMMITTED; a capture
• Letter eraTHE CAPTURE 313 to 1302
• SourcesSECULAR RECORD — all four components dated and documented