The Origins of the English Gentry

by Peter R. Coss

Although the gentry played a central role in medieval England, this study is the first sustained exploration of its origins and development between the mid-thirteenth and the mid-fourteenth century. Arguing against views which see the gentry as formed or created earlier, the text investigates as well the relationship between lesser landowners and the Angevin state; the transformation of knighthood; and the role of lesser landowners in society and politics.

Genres: Medieval History, History, British Literature

348 pages, Hardcover

First published July 3, 2003