On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State (Princeton Classics Book 76)

The modern state, however we conceive of it today, is based on a pattern that emerged in Europe in the period from 1100 to 1600. Inspired by a lifetime of teaching and research, __On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State__ is a classic work on what is known about the early history of the European state. This short, clear book book explores the European state in its infancy, especially in institutional developments in the administration of justice and finance. Forewords from Charles Tilly and William Chester Jordan demonstrate the perennial importance of Joseph Strayer's book, and situate it within a contemporary context. Tilly demonstrates how Strayer’s work has set the agenda for a whole generation of historical analysts, not only in medieval history but also in the comparative study of state formation. William Chester Jordan's foreword examines the scholarly and pedagogical setting within which Strayer produced his book, and how this both enhanced its accessibility and informed its focus on peculiarly English and French accomplishments in early state formation.

The modern state, however we conceive of it today, is based on a pattern that emerged in Europe in the period from 1100 to 1600. Written from the experience of a lifetime of teaching and research in the field, this short, clear book is the classic work on what is known about the early history of the European state. Charles Tilly's foreword shows how Strayer's book set the agenda for a whole generation of historical analysts, not just in medieval history but also in the comparative study of state formation. William Chester Jordan's foreword addresses the scholarly and pedagogical setting within which Strayer produced his book, and how this both enhanced its accessibility and informed its focus on peculiarly English and French accomplishments in early state-building.

New Republic

Praise for Princeton's original edition: "[This book] is full of essential matter about how states as we know them came into being, and is particularly good on the root questions. . . . How and why did states begin to imagine themselves as sovereign? And: how does a policy maker get a bureaucracy to follow through?

"The modern state, however we conceive of it today, is based on a pattern that emerged in Europe in the period from 1100 to 1600. Written out of the experience of a lifetime of teaching and research in the field, this short, clear book is the classic work on what is known about the early history of the European state. Joseph Strayer comments, in particular, on the significance of institutional developments for the administration of justice and finance. Charles Tilly's foreword shows how Strayer's book set the agenda for a whole generation of historical analysts, not just in medieval history but also in the comparative study of state formation."--BOOK JACKET. Contents Forewords Preface Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Index