Without losing close contact with their tradition, language and moral background, and their roots in general, the Greek Rhodians accepted the political dominion of the Franks, as well as part of their mentality, a fact which led many of them to getting high political and social places, wealth and honours, appointed sometimes (by the Europeans) to the most delicate diplomatic assignments. Other ideological groups on the island were those of the Armenians and the Jews. The ideology of the latter had its roots in their religion and was often under persecution.

Social stratification

A close study of the local society of those years would reveal the existence of the following social classes:

-an Upper Class of noble, Frankish and Greek fiefholders owning large estates in Rhodos and the surrounding islands.
-a higher Urban Class of merchants and bankers
-a lower Urban Class of social workers, artists, craftsmen, tradesmen, free farmers, soldiers and seafarers.
-“Paroikoi” inhabitants of rural areas, obliged to obey to the rules of feudalism.
-Slaves, most of them being Muslim prisoners of wars.

Following the models of all advanced urban societies, the social stratification of mediaval Rhodos was completed by a “lumpen proletariat”. Economic affluence was accompanied by moral turpitude, culminating in late 15th century, which forced the Grandmaster Pierre d’Aubusson to impose, in 1483, stiff penalties on adulterers, adulteresses, procurers, pederasts, gamblers and the like. And the penalty would be death by burning, which was also the punishment for those who would have a relationship with Muslims or Jews.