Ruling England, 1042-1217

The central theme of the book is the rise and fall of English kingship during this period and at its heart is the central question of how the ruler of the most sophisticated kingdom in twelfth century Europe was eventually compelled to submit to the humiliation of Magna Carta at the start of the thirteenth century.

The book also reaffirms the importance of high politics in English history.

No proper understanding of the wider aspects of medieval history (social, economic, cultural) is possible without a firm grounding in political events, and this book covers these themes in depth.