What is the heavenly hierarchy and the earthly hierarchy in the Middle Ages? It was on the principle of the first that the second was “built”, which was headed by kings and popes, all the rest obeyed them. The clergymen tried to calculate exactly the same nine human categories, so that the earthly world would fully correspond to the heavenly world. As it turned out, they did not quite understand what a hierarchy on earth was.
Indeed, if everything was clear with the higher hierarchs - monarchs and popes, then the rest of the people did not fit into this pyramid. Then scientists joined, who were able to divide the society into “three whales” - those who pray, those who fight, and those who sow and plow.
What is the hierarchy of the "three whales" of the Middle Ages
First stage . Since people of that era believed that the most important thing was relations with God, the first and the highest steps in the earthly hierarchy were higher and lower spiritual ranks. This is the highest clergy, representatives of monastic orders and monasteries, city and rural clergy, as well as poor monks. There were a lot of these people - an entire army! It was believed that the clergy - this is more pleasing to the Lord occupation of earthly people than any other.
Second stage . The clergy, naturally, should be followed by earthly power, that is, those who are at war.
In the Middle Ages, they were knights. But the concept of “knight” (as, incidentally, the meaning of the word “hierarchy”) is ambiguous. For some, this is a robber, thoroughly saturated with greed, and for someone - the personification of courage, nobility and gallantry in relations with ladies. And in all these ideas there is a certain share of truth. Among the knights there were different people - villains, poets, noble gentlemen, religious fanatics, as well as courageous soldiers. Whatever the knights are, each of us associates the concept of “chivalry” with valor and courage, and the proverb “knight on a white horse” to this day has not been canceled!
Third stage . This is the basis of the “three whales”. The basis of society of that era was, of course, the peasantry - those people who sow and feed. No matter how paradoxical this may sound, but those who fed the gentlemen, the latter were especially unjust and biased. Although some peasants were also not a mistake and paid such a gentleman, as they say, "the same coin." The owners of the best lands at that time were secular lords and a church.
This is what the “three whales” hierarchy is in the Middle Ages. Now imagine how many other people there were (philosophers, merchants, jesters, pirates, artists, artisans, etc.) who did not belong to any of the three steps of the earthly hierarchical ladder! At the same time, do not confuse a person’s profession and his “suit”. For example, a student will never raise a coin that the baron will throw to him, because he is a schoolboy, not a beggar!
Church hierarchy today
Today, the church hierarchy in Orthodoxy is very different from the medieval, but nevertheless this is not a “ranking card” for you. The church is organized according to the principle of the human body, and therefore every person belonging to it has its place there. The hierarchical system here has several steps. The two highest of them are angels and people who know the Lord. A mind that thinks outside the body, and a body containing an intelligent human soul. The three lower levels include animals, plants, and inanimate nature.