In 1066 what made the rich wealthy and the poorpoor?

In 1066, following the Norman Conquest of England, wealth was primarily derived from land ownership and agricultural production. The rich, often Norman lords and their followers, gained vast estates and controlled the labor of peasants, who worked the land in exchange for protection and a small portion of the produce. This feudal system entrenched social hierarchies, with the wealthy benefiting from their land and status, while the poor remained dependent and impoverished, often facing harsh living conditions and limited opportunities for upward mobility. Thus, land and the exploitation of labor were key factors that differentiated the wealthy from the poor during this period.