MEDIEVAL SQUIRES

! Squires did many tasks for their knights, but their were two specific knights.

! The Squire of the Table worked in the court or about the castle. They would dress the knight, or be servants at the table.

! The Arming Squire went with the knight into combat on the battlefield. They would assist the knight in putting on his armor or aid them taking it off. The Arming Squire would also clean the armor for the next battle.

! Not all squires were Arming Squires or Squires of the Table. Many did general jobs about the castle and on the battlefield. Squires would clean the knight’s armor and prepare it for battle. They also cleaned the stables and readied the horses along with the armor. A squire would also stand guard outside the knight’s chambers at night. Squires also had to follow the Code of Chivalry, like the knights above them.

! To help them in their duties, squires wou ld l ea r n to jous t , c l imb, swim, swordsmanship, and other skills, making a squire worthy of becoming a knight.

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! On the quest to becoming a knight, a boy must begin as a page on his way to becoming a squire before completing his journey to knighthood. When a boy, born of a knight, turned seven they were able to leave their home life and enter into a life at the castle. A page’s duty was to do whatever his lord commanded. Also a page would take care of and watch over the women of the castle and in turn they would teach the page table etiquette.

! The page would dress his lord and also keep his armor clean. This was to get him ready for cleaning a knight’s armor as a squire. It was the page’s obligation to be with his lord and lady at all times. If a page was lucky, he would receive minimal training from the upper ranking squire. Once a page had given his service for seven years, at age fourteen a page became a squire, if he proved he was worthy.

From Page to Squire The Duties of a Squire

By Nick Eaton and Kyle Cone

MEDIEVAL SQUIRES PAGE 2 .

‘Arma Patrina’ ! Once a squire had completed its service which to most squires was seven years, they could become a knight, but not all squires became knights. There are two main reasons a squire would not become a knight. One being the squire was too old to become a knight. The second reason would be due to the fact that the squire could not afford to be a knight.

! These men, known as the Latin words, ‘Arma Patrina,’ could carry a shield and lance but they were not given their emblem. They were allowed to carry these objects even with the ceremony pronouncing them a knight. They had to follow the code of chivalry, but it was restricted towards them. Thought this was true, they would gain more respect than a disgraced knight who were not restricted int he areas of chivalry. Arma Patrina were also viewed in many aspects. Some were pitied or even shunned by the higher ranking knights.

! There was yet a third way a knight could become an Arma Patrina, which was considered the worst way in which to reach such a status. If you did not correctly perform the knighting ceremony, you would not be given another chance and you would be named an ‘Arma Patrina.’

Meanings of the Word “Squire”! The word squire comes from the Old French word “escuier” which comes from the Latin word “scutarius.” “Scutarius” means “shield bearer.” Over hundreds of years, the word squire has acquired many different meanings. It started off in history as a meaning for knights in training. It then grew to mean the leader of an English village and also as a gentleman below a knight. It was also used as a slang word towards each other after the Middle Ages.

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