men-at-arms
Noun
Synonyms
Examples
I do not fear men-at-arms; my way has been made plain before me. If there be men-at-arms my Lord God will make a way for me to go to my Lord Dauphin. For that am I come.
The bugle echoes shrill and sweet, But not of war it sings to-day. The road is rhythmic with the feet Of men-at-arms who come to pray.
Although any medieval knight going to war would automatically serve as a man-at-arms, not all men-at-arms were knights.
Andrew Ayton suggests a figure of around 2,500 men-at-arms : nobles and knights, heavily armoured and armed men, accompanied by their retinues.
Eventually, and long after the Imperial army had begun its retreat, the gallant schiltrom formation was ridden down and annihilated by a charge of three thousand men-at-arms.
Battle There is little evidence to suggest that Dunbar was anything other than an action between two bodies of mounted men-at-arms (armoured cavalry).