King - The top person of the land was the KIng. The king could not control all of the land by himself, so he gave some of the land to the knights. In return, the Knights pledged their loyalty and protection to the king.
BishopBishop - The Bishop was the leader of the church in the kingdom and managed an area called a diocese. The Catholic Church was very powerful in most parts of Medieval Europe. |
KnightsKnights - Knights ruled large areas of land called fiefs. They were direct to the king and were very powerful. They divided up their land among the King who ran them. Their job was to maintain an army that was at the king's service. If they did not have an army, sometimes they would pay the king a tax. |
PeasantsPeasants - Most of the people living in the Middle Ages were peasants. Some peasants were considered lucky and could own their own businesses like carpenters, bakers, and blacksmiths but others were like slaves. They owned nothing and were pledged to their local Knight. They worked long days, 6 days a week, and barely had enough food to survive. |