The prince-bishoprics had become fiercely contested prizes between neighbouring dynasties, themselves often vassals of the bishopric.
Taking full advantage of these newly recovered sources, Shorto makes frequent, deft excursions from New York to the Netherlands and England, Brazil and Curaçao; and the slave coast of Guinea to the Spice Islands and the German battlefields of the Thirty Years' War; and to Hartford and Boston and that hotly contested colonial prize, New Jersey.
Appeals are a fact of life ahead of any Olympics but this year's have gained more coverage because a home Games is on the horizon, which also accounts for the fact that some of the battles are more bitterly contested: the prize is that much greater, both psychologically and financially with sponsors showing great interest in sports they would never normally touch.
While Mr. Trump is not ready to give up entirely on any of the major battlegrounds, advisers have become increasingly convinced that his most plausible route to the presidency, and perhaps his only realistic victory scenario, involves capturing all three of the biggest contested electoral prizes on the map, and keeping North Carolina in the Republican column.
This time last year, in fairness, So You Think contested four elite prizes in a month, winning three before running a huge race in the Melbourne Cup.
In the biggest contested electoral prize - Florida - over one million citizens are licensed to carry concealed weapons.
Historically, Kismayu has been a tinderbox, a prize hotly contested by several powerful clans eager for the port's profits.
The Best British actor prize is contested by Michael Fassbender (Hunger), Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess), Ben Kingsley (Elegy), Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) and Michael Sheen for Frost/Nixon.
When the Champions League resumed Tuesday, it brought good, solid evidence to suggest that Real Madrid and Chelsea will not be far away when this season's top prize is contested at Wembley stadium in London next May.
