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''Dynasties'' provides an overview of the history of the aristocracy in England from the Saxon period to the present: as feudal vassals; Tudor and Stuart courtiers; Georgian and Victorian magnates; the decline and fall and then the rise of the noble families from the ashes as guardians of heritage. Sixteen noble families are examined in detail, including the Wellesleys of Stratfield Saye, the Cavendishes of Chatsworth, the Churchills of Blenheim Palace, the Grosvenors of Eaton Hall, the Spencers of Althorp, and the Herberts of Highclere Castle. Scanning just these six, is it is obvious their history is associated with some of the greatest names and most important events in English history: Waterloo, Winston Churchill and WW2 - and ''Downton Abbey''! Each chapter will give a lively account of the family’s place in history from their earliest rise to prominence to the present day. (All those families chosen to receive a devoted chapter persist into the 21st century). Those older families involved in medieval wars and court intrigues often have legends associated with their founding, as well as playing roles in controversial episodes in royal history. Beyond the political and constitutional context, ''Dynasties'' considers the local, familial, and personal stories associated with the families: love stories, tragedies and criminal behaviour; the poets, politicians, architects and artists produced by the ‘great families’, alongside the generals. remarkably, there is no guide to all the major families available in print with this approach. ''Burke''s Peerage'' it is not.