William Stubbs (1825–1901), one of the leading historians of his generation, pursued his academic research alongside his work as a clergyman. He was elected Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford in 1866 and appointed a bishop in 1884. Stubbs was a foundational figure in medieval English history, with a special interest in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The three-volume study reissued here, originally published between 1874 and 1878, was one of his most influential works. Nine editions appeared during his lifetime and it was prescribed reading for generations of students. It traces the evolution of English political institutions from the early Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain to 1485, relying mainly on primary sources. Volume 2, published in 1875, focuses on the period from Edward I to Richard II, tracing the development of Parliament and the rise of the Commons, and examining the issue of the royal prerogative.
