Squire
In the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield- or armour-bearer of a knight. He was responsible for taking care of the horse and arms of the knight. Other duties included carving the knight's meat. Despite being a servant, it was a high status job and could serve as training for future knights. Many squires were hired servants with no known pedigree.
Use of the term evolved over time. Initially, a squire could be a knight's servant that fought with his lord. It could also refer to sub-knightly Men-at-Arms and was used interchangeably with valet. Over time it referred to a broad social class of men, just below the rank of knight. Eventually, a lord of the manor might come to be known as a "squire".
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