Comparative studies in late medieval history are still relatively rare. This volume aims to prepare the ground for comparative work on the aristocracies in late medieval Europe, notably on the English earls and the imperial princes. Leading scholars from England, Germany and France analyse past, present and potential future approaches to the study of late medieval princely elites. Case studies shed light on issues including the way in which surviving records shape the historian's image of the earls and imperial princes, how rolls of arms can be exploited as a source for studying princely rank, how magnates used the architecture of their castles to display their status and the other strategies they deployed to support their ambitions.