Retinue
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A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble, royal personage, or dignitary, a suite (literal French meaning: what follows) of "retainers".
Etymology
The word, recorded in English since circa 1375, stems from Old French retenue, itself from retenir, from the Latin retenere: to hold back or 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 in some cases, even as a spy under the guise of an innocent musician.
See also
- Cohors amicorum
- Druzhina in Rus
- Manrent, a Scottish clan bond
- Svita
- Great house
- Bodyguards
Sources
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Retinue". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 203.
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