This study investigates the historical accuracy of characterizing Marsilius of Padua as a secular republican theorist by re-examining his life and the reception of his primary work, Defensor Pacis. George Garnett, a scholar of medieval history, utilizes archival evidence and contemporary reactions to the Defensor Pacis to challenge the prevailing academic consensus. He argues that Marsilius functioned as an imperialist whose political framework was deeply rooted in a Christian, providential view of history rather than secular humanism.

Scholars recognize this work as a significant intervention in the study of medieval political thought that demands a reassessment of established labels. The text is noted for its rigorous engagement with primary sources and its challenge to long-standing interpretations of Marsilian political theory.