A Study On The Gentry's Political Life In 15^th Century English

In the 15^th Century,the English gentry came into being triple structure after a long period of evolution,which including knight,esquire and gentleman.Expect for the triple structure,the gentry also absorbed much of new blood,and then integrated gradually into a middle class who placed under nobility while above yeoman.Along with the improvement of economic status,the promotion of educational level,and the needs of the development of national politics,the gentry realized gradually that they were playing an important role in national politics.So they began trying hard to win more opportunities to take part in political life.The main ways in which gentry participated in politics were public offices both in the central and local government,and many non public.Meanwhile,because of the enhancement of gentry's political consciousness and participation,they had to pay more attention to establish political relationship outside.In the 15^th Century,almost every gentry was connected with a certain political network more or less.Certainly,common interests were the basic principle on which gentry built and partook in political network.Thus it can be seen that,in the 15^th Century,the gentry's political life includes two aspects,one is about gentry's circumstances of political participation,which refer to context,degree,condition and ways of political participation.The participating context contains both economic and political factors.High income provides material insurance and driving force for gentry to partake in politics,and the peculiar political environment provides opportunity and chance.About the level of political participation,the thesis takes the Hastings in Leicestershire in the 15^th Century for example,with purpose of analyzing six factors that effected the participating level.In the aspect of participating ways,the thesis focuses on investigating all gentry's official positions,main duties and influences both in central and local government,including public and non public.Another is the relationship network between gentry and other social classes,such as nobility,royal family and gentry themselves.This social and political networks had great significance to gentry's development and rise.