Who did the serfs serve during the Norman era?

Okay, let's delve into the Norman era and the role of serfs. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, William the Conqueror established a feudal system. This was a hierarchical structure where land was owned by the King, who then granted it to lords in exchange for loyalty and military service. These lords, in turn, needed people to work the land. That's where serfs came in. Serfs were tied to the land and obligated to work for the lord who owned that land. They weren't slaves, as they had some rights, but they also weren't free to leave. They provided labor, a portion of their produce, and other services to the lord. So, while knights were part of the military structure and peasants were a broader category of rural people, it was the *lords* who directly benefited from the serfs' labor and to whom they owed their service. Thinking of the word 'lord' in the answer helps connect it to the role of the serfs.