Structure of Feudal Society

The Structure of the Feudal System is a social hierarchy that flourished the Known World from the Age of Bronze to present day. It was a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service and labor.

It typically involves four major levels of social classes, though it can at times involve five and different levels within the classes. At the top of the structure is a King or equal sovereign ruler.

Social Classes

 * King - As the sovereign ruler of a realm, the King owns all the land. To properly maintain his kingdom and hear the voices of his people, he appoints rich nobles to be Lords of lands within the kingdom (or in the case of the Eight Kingdoms, they appoint Wardens of provinces).
 * Nobility - With the land they've received from the King, nobles bestow plots of it to high ranking knights and officials. In return to their King who gave them the land, nobles provide them with the military service of their Knights on demand, offer protection, pledge their loyalty, and send them a portion of taxes collected from their peasants and commoners.
 * Sworn Swords - Sworn Swords are funded by noble houses to enforce the royal decrees imposed on the lands and the laws made by nobles. They pledge their loyalty to their noble and in return, receive higher pay than peasants and commoners. Sworn Sword provide those lower than them in social class with protection.
 * Peasants and Commoners - Peasants are the backbone of any structure in any society. They are the labor force that provides the kingdom with many goods and services. They serve all those above them with food and services, and their nobles with a tax.

The Eight Kingdom's Structure of Feudal Society
For the most part, the Eight Kingdoms obeys the common lore of a typical feudal society, however they have added a second layer to the nobility class. Rather than rule each of the eight kingdoms/provinces himself, the King instead oversees his own and has seven Wardens and Wardenesses to rule them in his stead, similar to how typical Kings have typical nobles oversee their land.

In this peculiar structure, regular nobles answer to their Warden, whom is too a regular Lord with owned land. It should be noted that Wardens do not, by any means, own the province they oversee, but own a small portion of land like regular nobles. The other nobles, however, do answer to their Warden, who answers to no one but the King and his Hand.