'Ward has undoubtedly already achieved an enormous amount with her book: she has worked out her subject in a stringent manner, examined a wealth of material and prepared it in an original way, compiled numerous observations worth considering and created various starting points for a critical examination of the subject. In this respect, her contribution to research can undoubtedly be described as successful.' Clara Harder, Sehepunkte (from German)
1. Royal childhood and child kingship: An introduction; Part I. Royal Childhood and Child Kingship: Models and History: 2. Children and kingship in the early and central Middle Ages; 3. Woe to thee, O land? Models of child kingship; Part II. Royal Childhood: Preparation for the Throne: 4. Familial education: Preparing boys to be kings; 5. Loyalty, diplomacy and (co-)kingship: Preparing political communities; 6. The royal deathbed: Preparing for child kingship; Part III. Child Kingship: Guardianship and Royal Rule: 7. Guardianship, regency and legality; 8. Adapting and collaborating: Child kingship and royal rule; 9. Feasting princes? Violence, conflict and child kingship; 10. Entering adolescence: Knighting, seals and royal maturity; Conclusion: Re-thinking child kingship, c. 1050–1262.