Though even this has not seemed a sufficient precaution
to the Turkish despots, who, therefore, make a point of slaughtering all
their brothers. And no wonder: for the more absolutely the right of
dominion has been conferred on one man, the more easily, as we showed by
an instance (Sec. 14), it can be transferred from one to another. But
that in such a monarchy, as we here suppose, in which, I mean, there is
not one mercenary soldier, the plan we have mentioned provides
sufficiently for the king's safety, is not to be doubted.
24. Nor can anyone hesitate about what we have said in the thirty-fourth
and thirty-fifth sections of the last chapter. But that the king must
not marry a foreigner [13] is easily proved. For not to mention that two
commonwealths, although united by a treaty, are yet in a state of
hostility (Chap. III. Sec. 14), it is very much to be avoided that war
should be stirred up, on account of the king's domestic affairs, both
because disputes and dissensions arise peculiarly from an alliance
founded on marriage, and because questions between two commonwealths are
mostly settled by war. Of this we read a fatal instance in Scripture.
For after the death of Solomon, who had married the king of Egypt's
daughter, his son Rehoboam waged a most disastrous war with Shishak,
king of the Egyptians, who utterly subdued him. [14] Moreover, the
marriage of Lewis XIV., king of France with the daughter of Philip IV.
was the seed of a fresh war.
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