Aristocracy Definition

Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

Definitions of aristocracy on the Web:
Nobility: a privileged class holding hereditary titles
Gentry: the most powerful members of a society

My questions:
Who was allowed into the aristocracy and its events? Was it mostly based on titles and all those in relation being considered part of it, or was it more vague?

Example: a baron's younger brother (including wife and children), being untitled, would he still be considered part of the ton?
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Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100

A lot of it is dependant not just on having a title*, but on having money and connections. If you're from a good family (and a baron's younger son is) and you have money (either unentailed from the father, or because he married a girl with a decent dowry) and your family is connected via marriage and blood to other wealthy, powerful families, then the doors of the ton are likely to be open to you. If you have two of the three, then you're still likely to be a guest worth having, but maybe more of a "b list" than an "a list".

*Remember, there are only a couple hundred titles, but the “ton” is the top ten thousand. All the relatives of the titled folk were still part of that same social set. And then there are the men who distinguished themselves in some way and became “celebrities” (men of science, politics, music, etc., who would be invited into the upper circles).
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w/a Isobel Carr
Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011
Book 1: The League of Second Sons
www.isobelcarr.com

Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

Awesome, awesome, awesome! Thanks! daumen rauf

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Writing and Re-Writing,
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Upstart Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Atlanta

the nobility was made up of the peers and peeresses. Only those who held peerages in their own right were nobles.
The aristocracy were their children and siblings, and any others who were considered among that group..
The Ton was made up of all those who were invited to attend the balls and the dinners and who could gain entry into Almacks'. It was an even less exact term than aristocracy..
The children of peers' younger sons had no titles, were not even honourables, and often had little money. They entered the army, the navy, and the church. Many were of the Ton, some were not, and not all were considered part of the aristocracy.
Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice is the grandson and nephew of an earl. The question is : Is Mr. Darcy an aristocrat?
Nancy

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: nobility and aristocracy

Upstart Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 25

Upstart Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Atlanta

Lord Byron wrote about the upper two thousand of which he was a member.
There were more peers than sat in the House of Lords because the Irish and the Scottish peers only had respresentative peers instead of having all have seats.
Ten thousand is not an outlandish number for all the people with titles including honourable. . There were thousands of of knigts aand baronets and aover 400 men who were MPs.
It really depends on the definition of upper ten thousand. .
I think the prhrase is more figurative than accurate and that Byron's two thousand is closer to the number who could receive vouchers to Almacks', if they applied.
Nancy
PS Byron's half sister Augusta was an honourable because her mother had been a Baroness in her own right. The title went to the mother's oldest son by the first marriage, of course.

Upstart Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 25