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Class 11 History Notes Chapter 6 The

Three Orders

July 23, 2019 by Bhagya

Class 11 History Notes Chapter 6 The Three

Orders

• Western European society was divided into three orders between the ninth and
the sixteenth centuries.
• The three orders of the western society include:
o The Clergy
o The Nobility and
o The Peasantry.
• Clergy enjoyed special status. They were exempted from paying taxes.
• The nobility also enjoyed a respectable position in the society. People belonging
to the nobility were appointed on higher posts in administration, army and the
church. They were also exempted from paying certain taxes.
• The peasantry had to pay heavy taxes and had to work very hard to meet their
both ends.
• The most important characteristics of the middle age Western European society
was the emergence of feudalism.
• Two sections of the third order were:
o Free Peasants
o Serfs.
• Free peasants had to deposit a fixed land revenue to the lords.
• Most of the Western European society belonged to the serfs. A lot of restrictions
were imposed on them while the peasants were free from such restrictions.
• Serfs were denied to offer prayers in the church. They were ill-treated and forced
to work nearly 12 to 16 hours a day.• Feudalism is a German word. It stands for
land or an estate. It was regarded as the main the pillar of the Medieval European
society.
• Under feudalism, lords were granted their land in exchange for military services
and personal loyalty.
• Feudalism originated in France. Later on it spread over to many other countries of
Europe like England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, etc.
• The church played a major role in influencing the Medieval European society.
• Pope was the supreme authority in the church’s institution.
• Some of the famous towns that came into prominence were Venice, Florence,
Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Amsterdam, etc.
• The word ‘monastery’ is derived from the Greek word ‘monos’ that means
someone who lives alone.