Aristocrats: Power, Grace, and Decadence: Britain's Great Ruling Classes from 1066 to the Present

by Lawrence James

Overview

By the author of the acclaimed The Rise and Fall of the British Empire comes a "grand tour of the lives and impact of this truly remarkable breed." (The Washington Times)

Aristocracy means "rule by the best." For nine hundred years, the British aristocracy has considered itself ideally qualified to rule others, make laws, and guide the fortunes of the nation. Tracing the history of this remarkable supremacy, Aristocrats is a story of civil wars, conquests, intrigue, chicanery, and extremes of both selflessness and greed.

Lawrence James also illuminates how the aristocracy's infatuation with classical art has forged English heritage, how its love of sport has shaped its pastimes and values, and how its scandals have entertained the public.

Impeccably researched, balanced, and brilliantly entertaining, Aristocrats is an enthralling history of power, influence, and an extraordinary knack for survival.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312583798
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/21/2011
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Lawrence James was born in Bath, England, and was educated at York University and Merton College, Oxford. After a distinguished teaching career he emerged as one of the outstanding narrative historians of this generation. He lives in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Editorial Reviews

[A] great, sweeping survey of the ups and downs of the British aristocracy.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Anyone who indulges in modern interpretations of Tudor courts or relishes details of British historical undercurrents should enjoy James's take on the power behind the British throne.” —Publishers Weekly

“This is a stylish, intelligent, and readable book.” —The New York Times Book Review on The Rise and Fall of the British Empire

From the Publisher

A broad narrative history of British wealth and opulence since the Norman Conquest. James (The Middle Class: A History) effectively digests an entire millennium of British aristocracy, from the cult of chivalry to the creaking irrelevance of peers hanging on by their gilded toenails in today's House of Lords. The word "Great" in the title gives a notion of where the author stands: "Who or what will replace these men and women?" he writes. "The extinction of the Lords would create a vacuum in public life and a dangerous one." They have served, above all, as a check on the sovereign's power, strictures clearly set out in 1215 in the Magna Carta, which safeguarded inalienable rights and protected "freemen" from excessive, arbitrary taxation. The contract held the king to account, and a bicameral parliament ensued, containing an inherited House of Lords and elected members in the House of Commons. With myriad examples, James traces how the "great men of the realm," namely aristocrats, would invoke that right to check the king, especially during the civil and religious wars. The creation of the Whigs, rebellious hotheads, and Tories, submissive to authority, occurred at this 17th-century juncture. But the power of the aristocrats, resting on landownership before the advent of the Industrial Revolution, was undergirded by the approval of the masses, who might also rise up (as in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381), or ape their masters, as demonstrated by the mores of the growing middle class. Most important, the aristocrats created a cultural legacy of grand homes, taste, fashion, art and sports. James attends to all the necessary historical strands, some of which American readers may find difficult to swallow. Still, the author provides a helpful chronicle of the traditions we hailed from and happily rebelled against.

Kirkus Reviews