... Probably the best example of this was the divide between the rich nobles and the poor nobles. The ethos of nobility meant implied that nobles live off their own states, in a life of decadence, but this was far from the case for the majority of the nobles in Europe, as 'honourable birth and status provided no guarantees against poverty.'3 This was particularly the case in Eastern and Southern Europe where the nobility was extremely large and extensive. 4 Often this resulted in them having to work and, in extreme cases, live as commoners. The poor nobility deeply resented this and were envious of the richer nobility who flaunted their wealth, wasting huge sums on money on their own pleasure and vanity. The richer nobles were equally distaining. They saw the poorer nobles as an insult to their elevated class and felt that their failure degraded their position. Similar rivalries ...

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