A study of cities and towns in early modern Europe. Europe is defined in this study as the region encompassed, at the start of early modern times, by the Church of Rome. This includes all of western and central Europe and some of eastern Europe, but it excludes Russia and the Ottoman Empire. 'Christopher Friedrich's book is a major achievement ...[it] is an extremely valuable and welcome synthesis, scholarly, encyclopaedic and well argued. It will be an essential item for all students of urban history.' History Today "This is a valuable book, in particular for its thematic approach. It is aimed at a general as well as academic readership, and would be a useful addition to libraries of schools where urban studies form part of the curriculum." History Teaching Review