There are two main purposes for the wntmg of this monograph on factorial rings and the associated theory of the divisor class group of a Krull domain. One is to collect the material which has been published on the subject since Samuel's treatises from the early 1960's. Another is to present some of Claborn's work on Dedekind domains. Since I am not an historian, I tread on thin ice when discussing these matters, but some historical comments are warranted in introducing this material. Krull's work on finite discrete principal orders originating in the early 1930's has had a great influence on...