The history of policing has been the subject of much interest and research. This text provides an academic exploration of the origins and development of the role of soldier-policemen - the gendarmeries of 19th-century Europe - examining how and why the model came to be exported from France.

PART 1: THE COMING OF THE GENDARMES ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The most useful corps for the nation: The marechaussee ; 3. Gendarmes and the Revolution ; 4. Gendarmes in Napoleonic France ; PART 2: FRANCE: CONSOLIDATION ; 5. The Gendarmerie and the Restoration ; 6. Gendarmes and the July Monarchy ; 7. Gendarmes Imperial and Republican ; PART 3: EUROPE: SPREADING THE MODEL ; 8. Policing Rural Europe before Napoleon ; 9. Gendarmes across the Empire ; 10. Gendarmes beyond the Empire ; 11. Variations: Carabinieri ; 12. Variations: Landjagers and Gendarmes ; 13. Variations: The Habsburg Lands ; 14. Variations: Elsewhere ; 15. 'The man praising order' ; Bibliography

`this is an excellent introduction to a little-studied aspect of police history which, quite apart from its intrinsic interest, illuminates the history of the modern European state from an unusual angle and from a comparative perspective.' Continuity and Change, 16 `exciting and innovative' Continuity and Change, 16 `Emsley's sixteen-page synthetic conclusion is so well done that the reader wishes it were longer.' Journal of Modern History, vol. 73, no. 3 `succinct ... vivid and engagingly written' Journal of Modern History, vol. 73, no. 3 `splendid work ... His command of a European-wide perspective and his detailed research into so many different forms of gendarmerie will force historians to confront the importance of this institution' American Historical Review `Emsley's book is a significant contribution to the study of the development of the state and the rule of the law in nineteenth-century Europe. It will be of interest to all students of the period.' Joachim Whaley, Journal of European Studies, 2000 `surprisingly little serious scholarly work has been devoted to the study of this key institution ... Clive Emsley's excellent survey is the first comprehensive study of the gendarmeries of Europe.' Joachim Whaley, Journal of European Studies, 2000 `his compendius survey affords engaging glimpses of a small force that has had broad effects.' Eugen Weber, Times Literary Supplement, 24th March 2000. `This remarkable book is the fruit of extensive research in French, German, Italian and Austrian archives ... Thanks to its superb sholarship and graceful style, Emsley's book will be read for decades.' S. Bailey, Choice, Jun 00.