Squire

(Currently under construction by Ryan-GMS) Squire A medieval squire is known as a young man, born from nobles, about the age of fifteen, and that aspires to become a knight ( "Squire"  ). Squires, known as Armigers in Norman times, play an important role in achieving their goal: to become a knight . In the middle ages , squires would sometimes be a second line of defense, behind the knights. Squires would also work as apprentices for knights and would be taught the code of chivalry. If, for some reason, the squire and the knight fought on different sides of the battlefield the squire could not harm his master. The rule of not harming the one whom has shared their quarters could not be broken during medieval times.



**__Becoming a Squire __**

 The first step to becoming a squire begins with a page. A noble born boy becomes a page at age seven and starts to train to become a knight. Pages were seen as boys and looked after by the ladies of the court or castle . At age fifteen a page becomes a squire and is seen as a man. They shift from the ladies of the court to the knights for both mental and physical training (" Squires ").  Knights welcomed squires into their homes. In some cases, a father would not want his son to become a squire for an early death may fall upon them. However, knights would not take no for an answer and would force the father into submission; sometimes without the father’s consent.


 * __Lessons and Skills __**

 A squire must learn a few skills before acquiring their spurs. Spurs symbolize knighthood. Before being knighted, a squire must acquire strength, speed, dexterity, and leadership skills. Squires must learn how to operate <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">siege equipment <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">and create split-second battle strategies to siege castles. Squires also must learn to withstand extremes, meaning being able to go through both extreme cold and heat, tiredness and hunger, on a day-to-day basis (" <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Squires <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"). <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> A squire must also take care of their master’s equipment including their sword, armor, and warhorse. Squires also have the responsibility of taking care of their own real sword, instead of a wooden one, to practice and spar with <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">( <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Coggins 15 <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">.

**__<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 22pt;">Requirements before Knighthood __**

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A squire must meet certain requirements before becoming a knight. First, the squire must have proven themselves in battle or with bravery. Not all squires had the luxury of knighthood. Some squires could not afford knighthood or had become too old. This is known as “Arma Patrina.” The Arma Patrina were allowed to carry around a lance and shield without having to be a knight (" <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Squires <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">").

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__Works Cited:__
Coggins, Jack. // The Illustrated Book of Knights //. New York: Grossett & Dunlap, 1957. 15. Print. (Coggins 15)

"Squire." // http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/squire?s=t //. Oakland:

("Squire" )

"Squires." // http://www.lordsandladies.org/squires.htm //. Lords and Ladies. Web. 10 Jan 2014. ("Squires")

Tappan, Eva. // When Knights were Bold //. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911. 1-17. Print.

(Tappan 1-17)