![]() The career of a knight was costly, requiring personal means in keeping with the station for a knight had to defray his own expenses in an age when the sovereign had neither treasury nor war budget at his disposal. These armorial bearings afterwards became hereditary and gave birth to the complicated science of heraldry. Each flag or banner was emblazoned with the arms of its owner to distinguish one from another on the battlefield. There was a sharp distinction between the pennon, a flag pointed or forked at the extremity, used by a single chevalier or bachelor as a personal ensign, and the banner, square in form, used as the ensign of a band and reserved to the baron or baronet in command of a group of at least ten knights, called a constabulary. They were attached to, and carried on, the lance. Flagsīanners were also a distinctive mark of chivalry. From the thirteenth century the squires also went armed and mounted and, passing from one grade to the other, were raised finally to knighthood. ![]() These attendants, who were of low condition, were not to be confounded with the armed retainers, who formed the escort of a knight. a fourth to guard prisoners, chiefly those of quality, for whom a high ransom was expected. ![]()
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