Aristocracy：A Very Short Introduction

Aristocraciesornobilitiesdominatedthesocial,economic,andinstitutionalhistoryofallEuropeancountiesuntilonlyafewgenerationsago.Therelicsoftheirpower,intraditionsandbehaviour,inarchitectureandthearts,arestillallaroundus.Thisshortintroductionshowshowideasofaristocracyoriginatedinancienttimes,weretransformedinthemiddleages,andhaveonlyfallenapartoverthelasttwocenturies.Themythsinwhicharistocracieshavealwayssoughttoshroudthemselvesarestrippedaway,butthetruesourcesoftheirenduringpowerarealsorevealed.Theiroutlookandbehaviouraffectedtherestofsocietyininnumerableandsometimessurprisingways,butperhapsmostsurprisingwasthewayinwhichacenturies-oldaristocratichegemonycrumbledawayoverthelasttwohundredyears.InthisVeryShortIntroductionWilliamDoyleconsiderswhythishappendandwhatremainstoday.