This book provides a detailed look at the prominent families that have played a significant role in English politics and society throughout history. Through a series of biographical sketches, the authors trace the lineage, achievements, and scandals of these families, shedding light on the inner workings of the British aristocracy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.