Information about Retinue
A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage, a suite (literal French meanings: what follows) of "retainers."
Some were a source of trouble and abuse in the 15th and early 16th century. Often their real importance was very different from their rank: on the one hand sinecures and supernumerary appointments allowed enjoying benefits without performing full service. On the other hand 'having the ear' of the master can allow one to act as a confidant in an informal capacity, or some cases even as a spy in as such at first sight innocently function as a musician.
For example a Prince's entourage would not only include professonial courtiers, but also various bishops, clerics and other clerks, senior members of the aristocracy and other more occasional advisers, translators etcetera, who would often not be part of a Sovereign's (more permanent) retinue, even though that could comprise a surprising variety of functions, from menial to lofty.
Word history
The word, recorded in English since circa 1375, stems from Old French retenue, itself from retenir also meaning 'to employ', from Latin retenere, hold back, retain.Employment
Such retainers were not necessarily in the domestic service or otherwise normally close to the presence of their lord, but also include others who wore his livery (a kind of uniform, in distinctive colours) and claimed his protection, such as musicians and private teachers.Some were a source of trouble and abuse in the 15th and early 16th century. Often their real importance was very different from their rank: on the one hand sinecures and supernumerary appointments allowed enjoying benefits without performing full service. On the other hand 'having the ear' of the master can allow one to act as a confidant in an informal capacity, or some cases even as a spy in as such at first sight innocently function as a musician.
Contrast
A Retinue is sometimes confused with an entourage, which is the far less stable body of people that followed whether or not they were -or claimed to be- retained or protected by the prominent person they served.For example a Prince's entourage would not only include professonial courtiers, but also various bishops, clerics and other clerks, senior members of the aristocracy and other more occasional advisers, translators etcetera, who would often not be part of a Sovereign's (more permanent) retinue, even though that could comprise a surprising variety of functions, from menial to lofty.
See also
- The Roman Cohors amicorum was rather similar, and this use of the word cohort (derived from a battalion-size military unit) for a dignitary's 'friends' was the root of the Italian word corte 'court', which via the French cortège gave rise to cortege, which can also mean a train of attendants.
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royal family is the extended family of a monarch. Generally, the head of a royal family is a king or queen regnant. The term "imperial family" more appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress regnant, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or
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livery is a uniform or other sign worn in a non-military context on a person or object (such as an airplane or vehicle) to denote a relationship with a person or corporate body, often by using elements of the heraldry relating to that person or body, or a personal emblem, and
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Middle Ages form the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three "ages": the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern Times.
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Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. In the Commonwealth of Nations, knighthood is a non-heritable form of gentility, but is not nobility.
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A courtier is a person who attends upon, and thus receives a privileged position from a powerful person, usually a head of state. In the United States, the term has taken on negative connotations as a synonym for favorite or hanger-on.
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Cohors amicorum is a Latin term, literally meaning "cohort of friends". The notion cohort is to be taken not in the strict, military sense (primarily the constitutive unit of a Roman legion; circa battalion), but indicated a fairly large number; accordingly, friend is to be taken
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A cohort (from the Latin cohors, plural cohortes) is a fairly large military unit, generally consisting of one type of soldier.
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Military cohort
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A cortege, posse or entourage is a group of people who follow and attend to some important person.
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See also
- Sycophant
- Lackey
- Groupie
- Followership
- Cohors amicorum
- Retinue
- Gang
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