During feudalism, European countries were governed by an absolut king, who held all the power and it was believed that he had been appointed directly by God. The feudal system was divided into Three States of Realm or social classes. The First and Second State were constituted by the privileged ones who owned the land and who were the aristocracy and the clergy, and the Third States was consituted by the servants of the former states, mainly peasants, craftsmen or small traders.
The Third State worked within the lands owned by a First or Second State aristocrat. They enjoyed the protection of their lord, and in exchange they worked his land. This was the way in which the feudal society gave some kind of benefitial retribution to each of the three states (3rd state: protection and a home, 1st and 2nd: free workers).
Anyway, even tough they were given land to grow crops, the living conditions of the Third State were extremely hard. They did not own the crops they harvested, so they had to hand in fixed amount to the harvest to the lord and from the amount collected on top of the tax, they could eat. If some year, the harvests were damaged and they did not collect enough, they had nothing to eat.
