Final answer:
In medieval times, society was divided into three major groups: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. The clergy encompassed religious figures, the nobility included landowners and knights, and commoners were mostly peasants and serfs. This tripartite social hierarchy defined the feudal system and medieval European society.
Step-by-step explanation:
In medieval times, society was essentially divided into three major groups: the clergy, the nobility (including warriors like knights), and the commoners (peasants or serfs). The clergy were members of religious orders and were often the most educated segment of the population, providing spiritual guidance and managing the church's vast lands and wealth. The nobility consisted of the ruling and warrior classes that owned land and pledged military service. Commoners, the largest group, worked the land and provided the labor that sustained the feudal system and the economy.
The feudal system was characterized by a hierarchy of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the warrior nobility, culminating in the allegiance of all to the king. Meanwhile, the serfs, who were bound to the land, fulfilled their obligation by providing labor, rent, and military services as required by their lords. This societal structure was the foundation of medieval European society and was deeply influenced by Roman, Christian, and Germanic traditions.