Right of asylum

The right of asylum (sometimes called right of political asylum, from the ancient Greek word ἄσυλον) is an ancient juridical concept, under which a person persecuted by their own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries (as in medieval times). This right was already recognized by the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Hebrews, from where it was adopted into Western tradition; Descartes went to the Netherlands, Voltaire to England, Hobbes to France, and each state offered protection to persecuted foreigners.

The Egyptians, Greeks, and Hebrews recognized a religious "right of asylum," protecting criminals (or those accused of crime) from legal action to some extent. This principle was later adopted by the established Christian church, and various rules developed to qualify for protection and just how much protection it was.

According to the Council of Orleans in 511, in the presence of Clovis I, asylum was granted to anyone who took refuge in a church, in its dependences or in the house of a bishop. This protection was given to murderers, thieves or people accused of adultery.

Rhyme Asylum

Rhyme Asylum is a London hip hop group formed in 2002 by MCs Possessed, Psiklone and Skirmish. Leatherface and Plazma (who did not return for the second album) joined in 2004.

The group are known for their vivid imagery, complex wordplay and multi syllabic rhymes. Despite remaining unsigned, they have developed a growing cult following.

Biography

Their recognition originates from the Deal Real open mic sessions between 2004 and 2005. Their debut album State of Lunacy was released in June 2008 and featured US rappers Copywrite and Diabolic. Both Plazma and Leatherface left the group shortly after the release of State of Lunacy.

Their second album Solitary Confinement was released in April 2010 featuring Crooked I, Ill Bill and frequent collaborator Reain. For the first time, Rhyme Asylum recruited outside producers.

Later in 2010, the group released Solitary Confinement: The Overdose EP on 12" vinyl. The EP contains eight songs from Solitary Confinement and was launched at a Dilated Peoples & Rhyme Asylum show in Hamburg, Germany.

Divine right of kings

The divine right of kings or divine right is a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving the right to rule directly from the will of God. The king is thus not subject to the will of his people, the aristocracy, or any other estate of the realm, including (in the view of some, especially in Protestant countries or during the reign of Henry VIII of England) the Catholic Church. It is often expressed in the phrase "by the Grace of God," attached to the titles of a reigning monarch.

Origins

The remote origins of the theory are rooted in the medieval idea that God had bestowed earthly power on the king, just as God had given spiritual power and authority to the church, centering on the pope. The immediate author of the theory was Jean Bodin, who based it on the interpretation of Roman law. With the rise of nation-states and the Protestant Reformation, the theory of divine right justified the king's absolute authority in both political and spiritual matters. The theory came to the fore in England under the reign of James I of England (1603–1625, also known as James VI of Scotland 1567–1625). Louis XIV of France (1643–1715) strongly promoted the theory as well.