. Political relations between people were multifaceted, allegiances varied and overlapping, and the resulting political orders complex. Social order was not secured by centralized hierarchical institutions, as in our societies ; power and authority were decentralized. Broadly speaking, medieval Europe consisted of complex, crosscutting jurisdictions of towns, lords, kings, emperors, popes and bishops. While all were unified as part of Christendom power was fragmented and shared by many different parties, allegiances were multiple, and there was no clearly defined hierarchy of authority.