Could someone give me a super brief rundown on how nobility worked

>>2800050

Knights first appear around XI Century, at first they were not nobles but the menbers of the local elite who began to distinguish themselves from their less fortunate neighbors.
Over time, they became more and more influential and a whole ideology was developped for them. The Chivalry was so succesful that even the nobles did adopt their values start seeing themselves like knights, thus making the knightly clase a noble one, instead of one of nobles´ servants.

>or were knights exclusively hereditary?
It end up being a "chaste" in which knigtly status was hereditary, but at the beggining, as I wrote it was open to those who had the means.
And even after that, there were always chances to jump in the ladder, "if you want to be noble, move to another place and live and act like one".

>What level of nobleman would live in a castle near a large town or small city, and would he be actively served by lesser nobles in the same area?
A rich one. A titled noble is very likely pretty rich, so an Earl would most likely had a pretty impressive entourage, but not all great nobles were titled (even if it was the most usual)
> roi ne suis, ne prince ne duc ne comte aussi; Je suis le sire de Coucy ("I am not king, nor prince nor duke nor count; I am the Lord of Coucy").

>>2800050
>Could like normal people who were useful get knighted
First of all, knighting was not really a prerequisite to be considered a nobleman.
The best way for a relatively low born person to enter the ranks of nobility was through service to the powerful lord. In this period counts and bishops were in constant need of talented and trusted people to manage their vast estates. And because it was oftenly seen as undignified for those of noble birth; the managers, bailifs and other essential offices were filled with men of modest means - ministeriales, unfree servant-knights, a numerous and influential group of people in medieval Germany. Some of them made in fact unbelievable careers, like Diepold von Schweinspeunt, who became a duke of Spoleto thanks to his usefulness for imperial family.

>>2800176
>>2800644
Thanks. Does this information apply to all Western European countries, or just like France and England?

>>2800050
Soldiers and Knights lived in houses, that is the houses of other people often, they were not inherently powerful. A noble could send people on crusade using his money, they were in some ways glorified mercenaries.

Family, please recommend me a good concise book on the Middle Ages. I don't have time to read large volumes and collections. But I also want to have a complete picture. Thanks.

>>2800050
Yes

>>2801100
https://www.amazon.com/Civilization-Middle-Ages-Completely-Expanded/dp/0060925531

This is exactly what your looking for. Doesn't cover eastern europe much, mostly western, but for an overview of the medieval period, this is what you want.

>>2800176
>It end up being a "chaste" in which knigtly status was hereditary
pls profread