"The three orders of medieval society"

The 3 orders of medieval society:

The society was divided into three divinely ordained orders:

1. The Nobles, those who fought.
2. The Clergy, those who prayed.
3. The Peasants, those who worked.

None of them should attempt to fill the offices of the other.

At the top of this social were the bobles, and this included those who held hereditary titles: From kings, to dukes and earls, and down to knights. A vassal was a man who had sworn homage and loyalty to a lord. In exchange for the lord's protection the vassal swore to fight on the lord's behalf and grant him a certain number of days of service a year.

Below the nobles were the clergy, or those who prayed. 

The clergy very often came from the noble classes.

Some historians estimate that the nobility and clergy made up between 5 -10 % of the population, while the peasants comprised 95 % of the people living in the medieval world.

If you were a peasants, you were most likely born on the manor of a lord and were bound to him as a serf. In exchange for a place to live and the means to grow your own food, as well as protection in times of difficulty, you would provide the lord with a percentage of your harvest.

Getting married would be subject to your lord's approval.

Starting in the 14 (th) century, when the plague killed up to a half of the population, we start to see some real upward mobility in the 3 order. Urban and merchant life became vital. 

A great example of this new upward mobility can be found in the work of Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry.