Feudalism and Social Groups in Medieval Times

- Serf: A person who serves a lord and works in exchange for protection.

- Lord: A noble who provides protection and rules the land.

- Vassal: Lesser nobles/peasants who provide a service for protection.

- Arabs: The dominant social group who owned large states (latifundia).

- Berbers: They had converted to Islam and worked as livestock farmers, agricultural workers, or soldiers. They felt discriminated against.

- Muladíes: Natives of the peninsula who had converted to Islam. Most of them worked in agriculture.

- Mozarabs: Natives of the peninsula who had not converted to Islam and maintained their Christian beliefs.

- Bellatores: Those who wage war and defend the rest of society in times of war.

- Oratores: Those who pray and guarantee the salvation of everyone.

- Laboratores: Those who are obliged to work for the rest of society.

- Secular clergy: They are not isolated from the world, have more power, and are not under a monastic order.

- Regular clergy: They are isolated from the world, have less power, and are under a monastic order.

- Latifundia: Large plots of land dedicated to agriculture.

- Livestock farming: An economic activity that involves raising domestic animals for human consumption and obtaining derived products.

- Subsistence agriculture: It only provides enough food for the farmer and his family.

- Non-irrigated crops: Wheat, grapevines, and olives that only use water from the rain.

- Draught animals: They were used for transport, pulling carts, and ploughs.

- Promissory note: Documents assigned to a particular person in place of money.