ENGL 2P19 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Geoffrey Chaucer
20 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
A taxonomy of socioeconomic status in medieval england. Richard 2 ruled during much of chaucer"s adult life. He was killed by his uncle john of gaunt. Under the highest level of aristocracy there were urban and rural. Knights and squires where in this sections. Not all of them made a lot of money. Knights claim to have blue blood so the gentry did not. Archbishops, bishops, dukes and barons, and earls where among the highest ranking. Squires didn"t want to become knights because they didn"t want to pay the higher taxes. The king gave land to who he wanted and he could take it away if he wanted. Second eldest normally would go into a high level of the church people in england. If you were in a powerful family you will have a high position in the convent. Chaucer may have come from this group.
