Gentleman

Japanese: ジェントルマン

Historically, this social class played a major political and economic role in England from the late Middle Ages onwards. They were a leisure class that maintained a particular lifestyle and education mainly through land rents, and although their composition changed over time, consisted of aristocrats and the majority of gentry, who were commoners in terms of status. In addition to large landowners, they also included practicing physicians, lawyers, clergymen and wealthy merchants. As the manor system was dissolved, they accumulated wealth through agricultural management, and in the late Middle Ages they took part in local politics, and in the modern era of absolutism they advanced into central politics, solidifying the system of rule by notables, and also played a major role in the civil revolutions of the 17th century and later. After the rise of the bourgeoisie, the term came to be used broadly to refer to those (gentlemen) who had status, wealth and education above that of the middle class, and was also used simply as an honorific title.
Related articles Amateurism | Country gentry | Bicycles | Squires | Victorian era | Henley regatta

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

歴史的には中世末期以降の英国で大きな政治的・経済的役割を果たした社会層。おもに地代収入によって特有の生活様式，教養などを維持した有閑層で，その内容は時代によって変化したが，貴族と，大多数の身分的には庶民である〈ジェントリーgentry〉からなった。また大地主以外でも開業医，法律家，聖職者や富裕な商人なども含むことがあった。荘園制の解体の中で農業経営によって富を蓄積し，中世末には地方政治をにない，近代絶対主義時代には中央政治に進出，名望家支配の体制を固め，17世紀以降の市民革命に際しても多大の役割を演じた。ブルジョアジー台頭後は中産階級以上の地位・財産・教養をもつ者（紳士）を広くさし，単なる尊称としても用いられるようになった。
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