Nobility was at the heart of the Old Regime in every sense: socially, economically, politically, culturally. Its temporary demise in France was one of the earliest and most celebrated achievments of the French Revolutionaries. This collection of essays provides a uniquely comprehensive introduction to the world of Europe's nobilities at the apex of their power and influence, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Chapters by national specialists examine the social role, economic power and political influence of these elites across Europe, from Britain to Russia and Sweden to Portugal. The subsequent trajectories of these nobilites during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is also examined, making these two volumes a unique introduction to a group which is now seen as having played a central role in Europe's modern history.

CONTENTS

Introduction: The Consolidation of Noble Power in Europe, c. 1600-1800; H.M.Scott & Christopher Storrs

The British Nobility, 1660-1800; John Cannon

The Dutch Nobility in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries; J.L.Price

The French Nobility, 1610-1715; Roger Mettam

The French Nobility, 1715-1789; Julian Swann

The Nobility in Spain, 1600-1800; I.A.A.Thompson

Nobility and Aristocracy in Ancien Régime Portugal; Nuno G.Monteiro

The Italian Nobilities in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries; Claudio Donati

Guides to Further Reading