A collection of essays celebrating the career of Joseph F. O'Callaghan, a noted historian of Spanish history. Written by his students and colleagues, they explore the relationship between human society and the institutions it produces.
The first part of the book, "The Influence of Law on Society, contains essays exploring the laws and customs regarding such social institutions as marriage, the care of the sick, and Jews. The second part, "The Relationship between Government and War, focuses on the institutional and technological innovations that the crown and parliament in Spain and England developed to wage war.