The term 'Ancien Regime' was coined by the French Revolutionaries, but subsequent debate and discussion have expanded it far beyond its original meaning. Historians have often disagreed about what it was, where it operated, how it worked, when it began and when it ended. This book, now in its second edition, has established itself as the most concise and accessible guide to the meanings and hidden complexities of an apparently straightforward historical term. William Doyle explains how the term originated and developed and discusses why historians continue to find it a useful concept. He demonstrates that there were several anciens regimes - political, social, economic and cultural - which encompassed not only France but in many ways the whole of Europe. This revised and updated edition incorporates material which has widened and advanced recent historical debate, and includes a completely revised and expanded bibliography.