Yeoman: Difference between revisions
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== General == | == General == | ||
Class in English society, between the [[Gentry]] and the labourers. Members of that class were generally freeholders of a lower status than gentlemen; they cultivated their own land, a small landed estate. They were thus men of good standing. By possessing free land of an annual value of 40 shillings they qualified to serve on juries and vote for knights of the shire (representatives in [[House of Commons|Parliament]]) and exercise other rights. | Class in English society, between the [[Gentry]] and the labourers. Members of that class were generally freeholders of a lower status than gentlemen; they cultivated their own land, a small landed estate. They were thus men of good standing. By possessing [[40 Shilling Freeholder|free land of an annual value of 40 shillings]] they qualified to serve on juries and vote for knights of the shire (representatives in [[House of Commons|Parliament]]) and exercise other rights. | ||
== Development == | == Development == | ||
In the 13th and 14th centuries, yeomen in England were freehold peasants and Geoffrey Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales'' (late 14th century) depicts a yeoman who is a forester and a retainer. Most yeomen of the later Middle Ages were probably occupied in cultivating the land. By 1400, as many peasants became richer, all prosperous peasants, whether freeholders or not, as well as franklins (freehold farmers), were called yeomen. With the breakdown of medieval systems of tenure the numbers of this class increased and formed the basis for a rural middle class. In the 15th century, some yeoman farmers, leasehold as well as freehold, entered the ranks of the gentry. In 1577, Raphael Holinshed, in his ''Chronicles'', described them as having free land worth £6 (originally 40 shillings) annually and as not being entitled to bear arms. | In the 13th and 14th centuries, yeomen in England were freehold peasants and [[Geoffrey Chaucer]]'s ''Canterbury Tales'' (late 14th century) depicts a yeoman who is a forester and a retainer. Most yeomen of the later Middle Ages were probably occupied in cultivating the land. By 1400, as many peasants became richer, all prosperous peasants, whether [[40 Shilling Freeholder|freeholders]] or not, as well as franklins (freehold farmers), were called yeomen. With the breakdown of medieval systems of tenure the numbers of this class increased and formed the basis for a rural middle class. In the 15th century, some yeoman farmers, leasehold as well as freehold, entered the ranks of the gentry. In 1577, Raphael Holinshed, in his ''Chronicles'', described them as having free land worth £6 (originally 40 shillings) annually and as not being entitled to bear arms. | ||
== Other functions == | == Other functions == | ||
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Other Yeomen: | Other Yeomen: | ||
◦ Yeoman Usher in the UK, deputy of Black Rod. | ◦ Yeoman Usher in the UK, deputy of [[Black Rod]]. | ||
◦ Yeoman Warder, a warder at the Tower of London. | ◦ Yeoman Warder, a warder at the [[Tower of London]]. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Latest revision as of 09:58, 21 November 2018
Etymology
ME. yoman, yuman, yeman, yiman, prob. reduced forms of yong-, yung-, yeng-, yingman, i. e. youngman, which was similarly used in ME.
General
Class in English society, between the Gentry and the labourers. Members of that class were generally freeholders of a lower status than gentlemen; they cultivated their own land, a small landed estate. They were thus men of good standing. By possessing free land of an annual value of 40 shillings they qualified to serve on juries and vote for knights of the shire (representatives in Parliament) and exercise other rights.
Development
In the 13th and 14th centuries, yeomen in England were freehold peasants and Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (late 14th century) depicts a yeoman who is a forester and a retainer. Most yeomen of the later Middle Ages were probably occupied in cultivating the land. By 1400, as many peasants became richer, all prosperous peasants, whether freeholders or not, as well as franklins (freehold farmers), were called yeomen. With the breakdown of medieval systems of tenure the numbers of this class increased and formed the basis for a rural middle class. In the 15th century, some yeoman farmers, leasehold as well as freehold, entered the ranks of the gentry. In 1577, Raphael Holinshed, in his Chronicles, described them as having free land worth £6 (originally 40 shillings) annually and as not being entitled to bear arms.
Other functions
Certain retainers of fairly high noble households were also called yeomen, and thus the name was given to specific branches of the royal household, e.g. Yeomen of the Horse or Yeomen of the Guard. The Yeomen of the Guard are members of the British sovereign's bodyguard, first established by Henry VII, now having only ceremonial duties and wearing Tudor dress as uniform. They are also called Beefeaters.
Other Yeomen:
◦ Yeoman Usher in the UK, deputy of Black Rod.
◦ Yeoman Warder, a warder at the Tower of London.
Sources
T. F. Hoad. "yeoman." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Elizabeth Knowles. "yeoman." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"yeoman." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"yeoman." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 10 June 2009 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9077937>.
"yeoman." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jun. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.