Parliaments and Estates in Europe to 1789

For such a short book this is a surprisingly comprehensive review of the development of parliaments in Europe. It even includes a few words on why parliaments didn't enter government in other parts of the world. The only thing missing is a broader perspective on the social movements that precipitated the rise and decline of European parliaments. Even so this a great concise introduction to the history of European parliaments. It's broad geographical scope makes it a useful link to country-specific studies.