I'm interested in reading about how kingship and royal authority evolved from William the Conqueror to Henry VII. Any recommendations?

by tepuerinrosa

Everything I've found seems to focus on narrower periods if not specific reigns, say this book 'Angevin Kingship' by John Jolliffe. Is there anything more synoptic, with a broader time range as well? I'd love to learn more about what defined medieval English kingship and how it evolved up to 1485. Ultimately, I'd like to know how developments during Henry VII's reign built on -- or broke from -- earlier shifts. Thank you!

Edit: If there aren't any texts covering the entire period, anything covering the last century-ish would be great as well -- Lancaster, York, Henry VII. I'm asking this because I can't seem to find anything for England specifically, when there are broader texts for other nations: Kingship and Unity: Scotland, 1100-1306 and Scottish Kingship, 1306-1542, for instance. There are also broader texts for medieval England on themes which I don't think are any more limited, say the comprehensive England and her neighbours, 1066-1453.

Hello,

......when there are broader texts for other nations: Kingship and Unity: Scotland, 1100-1306 and Scottish Kingship, 1306-1542, for instance.

The closest English counterpart of New History of Scotland series would be New Oxford History of England series (OUP, 1992-). The first three volumes of the series mainly cover from the Norman Conquest to the Wars of Roses:

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As for single volume book or book chapter:

Crouch, David. Medieval Britain, C.1000–1500. Cambridge History of Britain. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Esp. Chaps. 4-5 (pp. 75-135) doi:10.1017/9780511844379.
Rigby, S. H. (ed.). A Companion to Britain in the Later Middle Ages. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2002.
King, Edmund. Medieval England, 1066-1485. Oxford: Phaidon, 1988.
Chrimes, S. B. An Introduction to the Administrative History of Medieval England. New York: Macmillan, 1953.
Huscroft, Richard. Ruling England 1042-1217. 2nd ed. London: Roultledge, 2016.

My favorite is [Crouch 2017], but I'm a bit afraid that about 60 pages might not be enough to discuss the chronological change in depth. [Rigby 2002] (especially its Part II) presents the overview of the government of British polities of high and later middle Ages schematically divided by region as well as period, but it is not so cost-performance-wise good. While [King 1988] and [Chrimes 1953] corresponds with the scope OP is looking for (especially latter), but both are dated (and the former might not be in depth).