--- title: "Medieval Pyramid of Power" description: "How medieval society was organised: king at the top, then lords, then knights, then peasants/serfs; who owed what to whom; the pyramid of power and mutual obligations" canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/medieval-pyramid-of-power-mt_bjlY5TE1y- source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/medieval-pyramid-of-power-mt_bjlY5TE1y-.md retrieved: 2026-10-19 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Medieval Pyramid of Power How medieval society was organised: king at the top, then lords, then knights, then peasants/serfs; who owed what to whom; the pyramid of power and mutual obligations Subject: History · Area: Medieval Times · Ages 7 to 9 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/medieval-pyramid-of-power-mt_bjlY5TE1y- ## Ready when they can - Draw or describe the feudal pyramid showing king, lords, knights, and peasants - Explain what each level owed to the level above (loyalty, military service, labour) - Describe what a serf's life was like and why they couldn't easily leave ## Lesson: The Medieval Pyramid of Power Kings made laws. A pyramid is a simple model of medieval landholding: king, lords, knights, then peasants and serfs. Lords owed the king loyalty and military service. Knights owed service to their lords, and peasants owed labour. Lords owed protection and support to those who depended on them. *(drawing: The pyramid runs from the king at the top down to the peasants and serfs at the bottom.)* **Example.** Lord Edmund gave land to a knight named Roger. In return, Roger promised to fight for Edmund for a set number of days each year. Land and protection flowed down the pyramid. Loyalty and service flowed up. Peasants and serfs sat at the bottom. Local customs set how many days a serf worked the lord's fields, often two or three a week, with more at harvest. Serfs could not leave the village without the lord's permission. In return, the lord let them live on his land. **Tip.** Say the order from the top: King, Lords, Knights, then Peasants and serfs. Each level owed work or loyalty upward, and passed protection downward. **Recap.** The medieval pyramid ran from king to lords to knights to peasants, with loyalty and service flowing up and protection flowing down. ## Practice 8 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [Kings & Queens](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/kings-and-queens-mt_2DBPJ38iWl) - [Knights & Armour](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/knights-and-armour-mt_M_xcaRcvSo) - [Battle of Hastings and 1066](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/battle-of-hastings-and-1066-mt_OiDHqtLoln) - [Village Life](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/village-life-mt_PThM5P7Umd) - [Medieval Clothing](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/medieval-clothing-mt_R1xLS1c2Pg) ## Opens up - [Crime & Punishment](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/crime-and-punishment-mt_3tQXH9GwIa) - [The Black Death](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/the-black-death-mt_8oAzr0WxRb) - [Magna Carta and Limiting Royal Power](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/magna-carta-and-limiting-royal-power-mt_8ShghTx0jd) - [The Medieval Church](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/the-medieval-church-mt_LuwHnQItF_) - [Towns & Trade](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/towns-and-trade-mt_UMOjbmLcbM) - [Women in the Middle Ages](https://lightmysky.com/learn/history/women-in-the-middle-ages-mt_uuB3owTqNY)