Below the titled nobility, but not always far below in wealth or even status, were the landowning families that made up the local elites (“lords of the manor” in spite of not actually being barons) in every part of the kingdom. They called themselves the gentry—people of “gentle” birth—because they thought of themselves as having, and in fact often did have, antecedents quite as good as the titled families; many were descended from the daughters and younger sons of nobles.
