The Constitutional History of England, in its Origin and Development

A foundational three-volume study (originally published 1874–8) of the medieval roots of English political institutions.

William Stubbs (Author)

9781108036290, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 8 December 2011

652 pages
21.6 x 14 x 3.7 cm, 0.82 kg

William Stubbs (1825–1901), one of the leading historians of his generation, pursued his academic research alongside his work as a clergyman. He was elected Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford in 1866 and appointed a bishop in 1884. Stubbs was a foundational figure in medieval English history, with a special interest in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The three-volume study reissued here, originally published between 1874 and 1878, was one of his most influential works. Nine editions appeared during his lifetime and it was prescribed reading for generations of students. It traces the evolution of English political institutions from the early Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain to 1485, relying mainly on primary sources. Volume 1, published in 1874, begins with evidence for Germanic administrative systems during the Roman period, and then focuses on the Anglo-Saxon era and the Norman period, ending with the reign of Henry II.

1. Introduction
2. Caesar and Tacitus
3. The Saxons and Angles at home
4. The Anglo-Saxon system
5. The Witenagemot and the King
6. Development in Anglo-Saxon history
7. The Anglo-Saxon church
8. The Norman Conquest
9. Political survey of the Norman period
10. Administration during the Norman period
11. Henry II and his sons
12. Administrative and representative institutions.

Subject Areas: British & Irish history [HBJD1]