This book examines the organisation of power and society in north-east England over two crucial centuries in the emergence of the English 'state'. England is usually regarded as medieval Europe's most centralised kingdom, yet the North-East was dominated by liberties--largely self-governing jurisdictions--that greatly restricted the English crown's direct authority in the region. These local polities receive here their first comprehensive discussion; and their histories are crucial for understanding questions of state-formation in frontier zones, regional distinctiveness, and local and...

Assembling distinguished historians of Britain and Ireland, this book explores the whole span of British and UK history. The collection of essays forms an ideal introduction to the most up-to-date thinking about the problems of British history.