Lordship

The social and political structure in the Seven Kingdoms is based on Feudalism. While this is used as a term of convenience within this article, the term "feudalism" does not exist within the narrative of Game of Thrones - for that matter, people living in the real-life Middle Ages in Europe did not use the term "feudalism" to describe their own contemporary society. The term "feudalism", and terms associated with it, were retroactively applied by later historians.

Feudalism was introduced to Westeros by the Andals during their invasion of the continent six thousand years ago. It was imposed throughout what would later become the "Seven Kingdoms", and even in the North where the First Men resisted the advance of the Andals, the Northerners gradually adopted many of the social and political practices of their Andal neighbors to the south.

==Social structure=

The feudal society of the Seven Kingdoms is based on a rigid social structure dividing the population between a hereditary nobility set above commoners known as smallfolk. A strict political hierarchy is in place, consisting of kings and great lords who command the allegiance of lesser lords who serve as their vassals. This "government" is based on personal oaths of allegiance: while one can speak of "the realm" on a vague level, they do not possess an abstract concept of the "Nation-state" in modern terms.