Feudal Realm Hierarchy Worksheet
World History • Medieval Europe (500–1500 CE)
Name: Date: Period:
The Feudal Realm Hierarchy
Investigating Social Structure, Power, and Mutual Obligations in Medieval Europe
Target: Identify 5 social classes and explain their reciprocal duties.
Part 1: The Feudal Pyramid Organizer
Review each tier and note the mutual flow of land, protection, and labor
LAND & PROTECTION ↓ ↑ FOOD & SERVICE
1. The Monarch (King / Queen)
Apex of Power
Claimed absolute ownership of all realm land by divine right. Granted large estates (fiefs) to loyal nobles in exchange for sworn loyalty, tax revenues, and military troops.
2. Nobles & Lords (Barons, Dukes, Counts)
Vassals to Monarch
Swore solemn oaths of fealty (loyalty) to the king. Ruled manors, collected taxes, dispensed justice, and divided estates among knights in exchange for military service.
3. Knights (Armored Cavalry Vassals)
Vassals to Nobles
Elite mounted warriors who lived by the code of chivalry. Defended the lord's manor, guarded the Church, and fought in the king's royal campaigns in exchange for land and sustenance.
4. Peasants & Serfs (Base of Society)
~90% of Population
Farmed manor fields, tended livestock, and paid heavy grain taxes. Most were serfs—legally bound to the soil and unable to leave or marry without their lord's express permission.
The Clergy
The Roman Catholic Church
The Church operated as a powerful parallel structure from Rome to local villages.
Spiritual Power: Administered sacraments; possessed power to excommunicate nobles and kings.
Land & Taxes: Owned ~30% of European land; collected a tithe (10% harvest tax).
Bishops as Lords: High clergy held vast fiefs, ruled serfs, and commanded vassals.
Key Dynamic:
Kings and Popes constantly vied for ultimate supremacy over European lands.
Part 2: The Feudal Exchange Matrix
Word Bank: Fief • Fealty • Chivalry • Tithe • Serf
Social Relationship
What Was Given (Provided)
What Was Received
Key Feudal Term
Monarch → Noble
Large land grants, castle sites, and royal defense
Military troops, tax revenue, and loyalty
1. __________
Noble → Knight
Fiefs (smaller estates), armor, and sustenance
Mounted warrior service and personal defense
2. __________
Lord / Knight → Peasant
Physical safety during invasions; strips to farm
Manual labor, road repairs, and crop harvests
3. __________
All Classes → Clergy
Land donations, 10% tax on harvest, veneration
Sacraments, blessings, and prayers for salvation
4. __________
Why was feudalism described as a "two-way street"?
Unit 3: The Middle Ages • Feudal Social Structures Page 1 of 2 — Turn over to Part 3
Part 3: Voices of the Manor & Realm
Read each medieval scenario. Identify the social group and cite your text evidence.
Monarch • Noble • Knight • Clergy • Peasant/Serf
Vignette A
"At dawn, I lead monastic chants before supervising the scriptorium where scribes copy the Gospels. This afternoon, I collect the annual grain tithe from the surrounding villages to store in the abbey granary."
Social Group:
Text Clue / Evidence:
Vignette B
"By royal decree, I have summoned the Great Council of Barons to London. The Duke of Warwick has breached his oath of fealty by refusing to provide forty armed soldiers for the defense of our northern frontier."
Social Group:
Text Clue / Evidence:
Vignette C
"My hands are blistered from reaping rye on the lord's demesne fields. Yesterday, my daughter wished to marry a baker from the next village, but we cannot proceed until the lord's bailiff approves and we pay the fine."
Social Group:
Text Clue / Evidence:
Vignette D
"I have completed my all-night prayer vigil over my shield and sword. Having sworn to defend the realm and honor the code of chivalry, I will don my chainmail hauberk to ride in the front line of my lord's vanguard."
Social Group:
Text Clue / Evidence:
Vignette E
"From my fortified stone castle, I oversee three tenant villages, two grist mills, and the deer forest. Tomorrow, I hold court to resolve boundary disputes among vassals and collect seasonal rent tallies."
Social Group:
Text Clue / Evidence:
Part 4: Historical Analysis & Reflection
1. Why could medieval society not survive without the Peasants, even though they held the lowest status? Explain how other classes relied on them.
2. How did the source of power for the Clergy differ from that of Nobles? Why did monarchs need Church approval?
Self-Check: Can you identify all 5 social groups?
Not Yet Almost Confident!
Score:
/ 20
