David Loades is Emeritus Professor of the University of Wales. He taught at the universities of St Andrews and Durham, before moving to University of Wales, Bangor in 1980 as Professor of History. His previous books include Mary Tudor: A Life (Blackwell, 1989), Politics and the Nation: 1450-1660 (4th edn 1992), and The Tudor Court (1986).

• Introduction: Theories of Authority. 1. The Central Machinery.2. The Regions.3. The Counties.4. Hundreds and Parishes.5. Towns and Cities.6. The Church.7. Franchises.8. The Feudal Structures.9. Networks.Conclusion: The Unitary State.Bibliography.Index.

"Students will undoubtedly find this book helpful in many ways." Economic History Review, June 1999 "No one interested in Tudor (or, for that matter, Yorkist or Stuart) parliaments will want to leave this work unread." Parliamentary History