Lords and lady's of medeival times?

Question

What part did they play in the whole royal thing? Could they marry princes/princesses? Were they actually considered royal? Did people of the land listen to them as they would a princess? Any info is good or a link. Thanks!

Answer 1

Royalty are the family of the King or Queen.

The nobility are the Dukes, Earls, etc.

Members of the royal family in the past tended to marry members of the royal families of other countries. Failing that they would marry into the families of senior dukes. it would be a bit of a let down for a member of a royal family to marry into the family of an earl.

Answer 2

They were not royalty, unless they happened to be a royal duke. Royalty is a totally different class from the nobility. As far as royalty is concerned, everyone else is a commoner, no matter what their status.

Local lords, of course, wielded great power in their own lands. But they were vassels to greater lords, and everyone owed fealty to the king.