It is well known that political, economic, and social power in the British Isles in the Middle Ages lay in the hands of a small group of lords. In his final book, the late Rees Davies explores the personalities of these magnates, the nature of their lordship, and the ways in which it was expressed in a diverse and divided region in this period. An important aspect of the book is Davies's descision to discuss lordship in a British rather than a more limited English and Welsh Marcher context. ... it is a most valuable accumulation of insights into the many facets of aristocratic lordship, supported by telling examples, and expressed with the elegance and economy characteristic of Davies's work.