Nobility
Social class found in some societies that have a formal aristocracy.
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Social class
Set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centered on models of social stratification that occur in a class society, in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the upper, middle and lower classes.
Set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centered on models of social stratification that occur in a class society, in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the upper, middle and lower classes.
In the late 18th century, the term "class" began to replace classifications such as estates, rank and orders as the primary means of organizing society into hierarchical divisions.
Feudalism
The combination of the legal, economic, military, and cultural customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries.
The combination of the legal, economic, military, and cultural customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries.
The classic definition, by François Louis Ganshof (1944), describes a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations which existed among the warrior nobility and revolved around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs.
Commoner
A commoner, also known as the common man, commoners, the ', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially one who was a member of neither royalty, nobility, nor any part of the aristocracy.
Landed gentry
Largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate.
Largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate.
The term landed gentry, although originally used to mean nobility, came to be used of the lesser nobility in England around 1540.
Hereditary title
Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are nobility titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families.
Duel
Arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules.
Arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules.
Duels were fought not so much to kill the opponent as to gain "satisfaction", that is, to restore one's honor by demonstrating a willingness to risk one's life for it, and as such the tradition of dueling was originally reserved for the male members of nobility; however, in the modern era, it extended to those of the upper classes generally.
Primogeniture
Right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relative.
Right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relative.
The Holy Roman Emperor was selected for enthronement by a small number of powerful prince electors from among Europe's Christian males of inherited nobility.
Royal court
For alternative meanings of the word "court", see Court (disambiguation).
For alternative meanings of the word "court", see Court (disambiguation).
Hence the word court may also be applied to the coterie of a senior member of the nobility.
Aristocracy (class)
Historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class.
Historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class.
In modern European societies, the aristocracy has often coincided with the nobility, a specific class that arose in the Middle Ages, but the term "aristocracy" is sometimes also applied to other elites, and is used as a more generic term when describing earlier and non-European societies.
Estates of the realm
The estates of the realm, or three estates, were the broad orders of social hierarchy used in Christendom (Christian Europe) from the Middle Ages to early modern Europe.
The estates of the realm, or three estates, were the broad orders of social hierarchy used in Christendom (Christian Europe) from the Middle Ages to early modern Europe.
The monarchy included the king and the queen, while the system was made up of clergy (the First Estate), nobles (Second Estate), peasants and bourgeoisie (Third Estate).