This work investigates the historical trajectory and political influence of the Dukes of Norfolk across five centuries of British history. John Martin Robinson, a noted historian and archivist, utilizes primary source documents, family records, and architectural history to trace the evolution of the Howard family. The text argues that the dukedom serves as a microcosm for the broader shifts in English governance, religious identity, and aristocratic power from the medieval period to the modern era.

Historians and scholars recognize this volume as a definitive reference for the study of the Howard family and the English peerage. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous attention to genealogical detail provided by the author.