Aristocrats

“Aristocracy” means “rule by the best” and for nine hundred years, the British aristocracy has considered itself ideally qualified to rule others, make laws and guide the nation. This elite group exercised a vast and pervasive influence over the course of history. Aristocrats dictated patterns of taste and trends in art, literature and music with their patronage. Their love of sport shaped our pastimes. Their manners established codes of conduct for the rest of society. Aristocrats traces the history of this singular caste from the Norman Conquest to the present day. Written by respected historian Lawrence James, the acclaimed author of The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, the book deftly interweaves the political history of the aristocracy with an examination of the ways in which its members used their status to advance their own agendas and indulge personal whims.

The word aristocracy made its first appearance in the English language in the mid-16th century. A compound of the Greek terms “aristo” (best) and “kratos” (government) it defined an Aristotelian notion of the distribution of political power in an ideal state. The notion served to reinforce a deeply rooted sense of superiority and entitlement in an already elite, dominant group. “The Aristotelian concept of aristocracy has had a long life and, on the whole, aristocrats have been highly successful in convincing the world that they were qualified to undertake the affairs of the state, were supremely useful and that things would somehow fall apart without their guidance,” states James.

Evolving from a medieval warrior caste into a self-assured and sophisticated elite, the aristocracy declared itself the champion of popular liberty. The group forced King John to sign the Magna Carta and later used its power and wealth to depose a succession of tyrannical kings from Richard II to James II. Britain’s liberties and constitution were the result of aristocratic bloody-mindedness and courage. Such accomplishments earned the approval of the masses. As James explains, the consent of the masses was not only essential to the ascendancy of the aristocracy, it also contributed to its survival.

The aristocracy governed the first industrial nation while a knot of noblemen ruled its growing empire. Under pressure from the public, this political power was slowly relinquished and then shared. Yet democratic Britain retained its aristocracy: Churchill, the grandson of a duke, presided over a wartime cabinet that contained six hereditary peers.

Impeccably researched and sweeping in scope, Aristocrats is a fascinating story of civil wars, conquests, intrigue, chicanery, and extremes of selflessness and greed.