Ståndssamhällens
Ståndssamhälle, often translated as "estate system" or "society of estates," was a hierarchical social structure prevalent in many European societies, particularly during the medieval and early modern periods. It divided society into distinct groups, or estates, each with its own rights, privileges, and obligations. The most common division consisted of three estates. The first estate comprised the clergy, who held significant spiritual and often temporal power. The second estate was the nobility, who possessed hereditary titles, land, and military responsibilities. The third estate encompassed the vast majority of the population, including peasants, artisans, merchants, and professionals.
Membership in an estate was largely hereditary, though exceptions existed. The clergy could be recruited from