The general history of the state and of law is no easy subject. It takes in many issues, quite a few of which continue to be subjects of research and of scholarly controversies. Another difficulty lies in the fact that a handbook on this subject must deal with a vast array of sources and an exceptionally rich literature from all over the world. In order to deal with these complexities, this book takes the form of a comparative-legal study. It considers the history of the state and of law in the most important European countries from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century. It discusses the most important changes and their consequences within the legal and state systems of individual countries, but also more broadly on the level of Europe and the world. It is addressed to English-speaking students of law both in Poland and abroad, and to other readers interested in the book\'s subject.