Géza Pálffy traces the complex relations between Hungary and the Habsburgs, including the integration of the country into a conglomerate central European state ruled from Vienna and Prague.

Focusing on institutions and symbols of sovereignty, Pálffy demonstrates how Hungary was integrated into a larger monarchy yet at the same time preserved its independence and the power and influence of its upper estates. Her argument challenges the traditional view that early-modern Hungary resisted and rebelled against the Hapsburgs.