Aristocracy ─ A Very Short Introduction

From the Greek word meaning `the rule of the best' emerges a picture of aristocracies. Dominating the social, economic, and institutional history of all European countries until only a few generations ago, the relics of their power still surround us, in the visual arts, architecture, and fashion.

William Doyle explores how ideas of aristocracy originated and were transformed in the middle ages, and strips away the myths in which aristocracies sought to shroud themselves to reveal the true sources of their enduring power. Examining how their values and behaviour affected the rest of society, Doyle finally considers how and why their predominance shrank away, and what remains of their legacy today.

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William Doyle is Emeritus Professor of History and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, where he taught from 1986 to 2008. He is a fellow of the British Academy and has taught in universities in France and the USA. He has written many books, including The Oxford History of the French Revolution 2nd edition (OUP, 2002), The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2001), and most recently, Aristocracy and Its Enemies in the Age of Revolution (OUP, 2009).