Definition of Housecarl. Meaning of Housecarl. Synonyms of Housecarl

Here you will find one or more explanations in English for the word Housecarl. Also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word Housecarl and, of course, Housecarl synonyms and on the right images related to the word Housecarl.

Definition of Housecarl

Housecarl
Housecarl House"carl`, n. [OE. huscarle. See House, and Carl.] (Eng. Arch[ae]ol.) A household servant; also, one of the bodyguard of King Canute.

Meaning of Housecarl from wikipedia

- A housecarl (Old Norse: húskarl; Old English: huscarl) was a non-servile manservant or household bodyguard in medieval Northern Europe. The institution...
- 'retainer'; from which the modern word knight derives) or huscarl ('housecarl', 'man of the household'). Thegnly wills can be used to reconstruct noble...
- Karl has the same root as churl and meant originally a "free man". As "housecarl", it came back to England. In German, Kerl is used to describe a somewhat...
- personal armsmen, known as housecarls, who formed the backbone of the royal forces. Some earls also had their own forces of housecarls. Thegns, the local landowning...
- a mix of the fyrd (militia mainly composed of foot soldiers) and the housecarls, or nobleman's personal troops, who usually also fought on foot. The main...
- Ealdorman (Earl after c.1000) Hold / High-reeve Thegn (thane) Thingmen / housecarl (retainer) Reeve / Verderer (bailiff) Ceorl (churl, free tenant) Villein...
- army. The king and magnates retained professional household troops (see housecarl), and all free men were obligated to perform military service in the fyrd...
- battle, "Harold and his housecarl bodyguard...fought on until an arrow struck the king in the eye." After Harold died, the housecarl bodyguard made a last...
- Ealdorman (Earl after c.1000) Hold / High-reeve Thegn (thane) Thingmen / housecarl (retainer) Reeve / Verderer (bailiff) Ceorl (churl, free tenant) Villein...
- Ealdorman (Earl after c.1000) Hold / High-reeve Thegn (thane) Thingmen / housecarl (retainer) Reeve / Verderer (bailiff) Ceorl (churl, free tenant) Villein...