What is “the feudal pyramid” used to describe?

The story behind the answer

It depicts the medieval hierarchy of authority and obligation among the landholding elite—from king to great nobles to lesser lords and knights—linked by oaths of homage and fealty. Each level granted fiefs (land or income) to those below in return for military service, counsel, and loyalty; in return, superiors owed protection and justice. This explains why it’s about relationships within the ruling class rather than peasants or military ranks alone.

The “pyramid” is a modern simplification. In practice, feudal ties formed a tangled web: a knight could serve multiple overlords, the Church was a massive landholder, and customs varied by region. Rituals made it concrete—kneeling, clasped hands, and symbolic investiture with a charter or clod of earth. In England, the 1290 statute Quia Emptores even curtailed subinfeudation, reshaping that layered structure.