A noble, also known as a peer, was a member of the highest stratum of European society up until the 20th century. Male and female nobles were called noblemen and noblewomen, respectively.
A noble was bound to his liege by a sworn oath[?] of allegiance. The liege could be the monarch or another noble, forming a hierarchy, usually with a king at the top.
Some of the other strata of feudal society were priests, burghers[?] (i.e. city inhabitant) and peasants (i.e. farmer).
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