Sir John Chandos appears as a knight trusted with major Hundred Years' War operations because kings valued his ability even without a great lord's rank. The case supports the argument that a visible path of advancement can keep capable people working within a political order. A society does not need open mobility at every level for that possibility to matter, because movement over one or two generations can still act as a release valve. When routes upward disappear, frustrated elites, middle groups, and peasants have stronger incentives to challenge the system. Military command selection therefore affects the long-term stability of the state that supplies the army.
Notable Point · 1:06:24-1:08:23
Sir John Chandos illustrates military advancement by merit
A knight trusted with major Hundred Years' War commands becomes an example of how limited social mobility can retain talent and reduce pressure against the political order.