This volume investigates the fundamental question of how persistent military conflict between sovereign powers acted as a primary catalyst for the development of the modern European state system. Philippe Contamine, a distinguished historian of medieval and early modern warfare, utilizes a broad historical framework to analyze the intersection of fiscal policy, administrative centralization, and military necessity. By examining the period from the 13th to the 18th centuries, the author argues that the constant pressure of war forced states to innovate their bureaucratic and financial structures to survive.

Historians and political scientists frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the structural origins of the European state. The prose is noted for its academic rigor and its ability to synthesize complex military and political history into a coherent argument.