Landed gentry

Landed gentry is a largely historical privileged British social class consisting of land owners who could live entirely from rental income. They often worked as administrators of their own lands, while others became public, political and armed forces figures. The decline of the class largely stemmed from the 1870s agricultural depression.

The term "gentry," some of whom were landed gentry, included four separate groups in England:

1. Baronets: a hereditary title, originally created in the 14th century and revived by King James in 1611, giving the holder the right to be addressed as "Sir."

2. Knights: originally a military rank, this status was increasingly awarded to civilians as a reward for service to the Crown. Holders have the right to be addressed as "Sir" as are baronets, but unlike baronet, the title of knight is not hereditary.

3. Esquires: originally men aspiring to knighthood, were the principal attendants on a knight. After the Middle Ages, the title of Esquire became an honor that could be conferred by the Crown, and by custom, the holders of certain offices (such as barristers, justices of the peace, and higher officer ranks in the armed services) were deemed to be Esquires.

4. Gentlemen: possessors of a social status recognized as a separate title by the Statute of Additions of 1413. Generally, men of high birth or rank, good social standing, and wealth, who did not need to work for a living, were considered gentlemen.

The designation "landed gentry" originally referred exclusively to members of the upper class who were landowners and also commoners in the British sense, that is, they did not hold peerages, but usage became more fluid over time. Similar or analogous social systems of landed gentry also sprang up in countries that maintained a colonial system; the term is employed in many British colonies such as the Colony of Virginia and some parts of India. By the late 19th century, the term was also applied to peers such as the Duke of Westminster who lived on landed estates. The book series Burke's Landed Gentry recorded the members of this class. Successful burghers often used their accumulated wealth to buy country estates, with the aim of establishing themselves as landed gentry.

• Also see the Wikipedia page [ Landed gentry ]

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