THE THREE ESTATES OF THE REALM

The clergy (first estate): They were the monks and priests. Their duty was to pray for the espiritual salvation of the people.

Types:

-Bishops: Name given to a clergyman of higher rank inside the secular clergy, they manage or control a large church territorial unit called diocese.  A diocese is an ecclesiastic province and each diocese is divided into smaller church territorial units called parishes.

-Priests:  Name given to a clergyman of lower rank inside the secular clergy, they manage or control a small church territorial unit called parish.

-Abbot:  Name given to a clergyman of higher rank inside the regular clergy, which is divided into religious orders. Each religious order was led by an abbot.

-Superiors, friars, monks and nuns: Below the abbots  were the superiors who managed the monasteries, were priests, monks and nuns lived.

The nobility (second estate): They were the knights and their famlies. Their duty was to defend the population.

Types:

-High nobility: Their members were very rich and owned large fields.

-Middle nobility

-Low nobility: their members owned only their horses and weapons.

The workers (third estate): They were mainly peasants, but also artisans (craftsmen) and merchants. Their duty was to produce and sell food and other products needed by society.

Types:

-Peasants: all peasants paid a tithe, a percentage of the harvest, to the church.

-Artisans or Craftsmen

-Merchants