This concise, illustrated history of the University of Cambridge, from its thirteenth-century origins to the present day, is the only book of its kind in print and is intended as a standard introduction for anyone interested in one of the world?s greatest academic institutions. Many individuals are celebrated here who have exerted great influence upon developments within the University and beyond. But forces for change have often come from outside the University, from central government or from the aspirations and expectations of society at large. One of the prime objectives of this book is to describe how the university has reacted to, or resisted, these external pressures. At the same time it conveys an impression of the day-to-day experiences of students and their teachers and administrators over the University?s 700-year history. Major university institutions, such as the University Press and the University Library, are also described briefly. The book contains many attractive and often unusual illustrations, of subjects ranging from medieval manuscripts to the striking new building projects of the 1990s.