squire

A squire was a youth of noble birth who served as a knight’s attendant and apprentice in medieval Europe, with the aim of becoming a knight himself. Typically starting as a page in a noble household, a squire would later serve a specific knight and perform tasks such as caring for armor and weapons, tending the knight’s horse, running messages, and accompanying the knight into battles or tournaments. The squire’s education covered horsemanship, swordplay, jousting, heraldry, and the codes of chivalry, as well as manners and loyalty. Advancement to knighthood was marked by a dubbing ceremony after demonstrating training, loyalty, and valor.

Origin and evolution:

The term derives from Old French esquier, meaning shield-bearer, itself from Latin scutarius. In the later Middle Ages, the role of squire broadened in some contexts to refer to a gentleman of property or status within the rural gentry. The related title esquire (or Esq.) became a formal courtesy form of address for men of higher social standing, especially in Britain and later in other English-speaking regions. In modern usage, esquire remains common in professional or social correspondence, while squire is largely historical or literary, and sometimes appears as a surname or regional nickname.

Contemporary usage:

Today, squire survives mainly in historical references, literature, and some regional or familial names. In many English-speaking contexts, the contemporary formal title for educated or professional men is esquire, not squire, though both share origins in the medieval role of a shield-bearer and trainee to knighthood.