During the times of the feudal lords, an esquire was a title given to a young nobleman attendant who ranked below the knight. He was often an apprentice of the knight The word "squire" comes from the Old French escuier, which in turn is derived from the late Latin word scutarius which means "shield bearer. "
A squire usually aspired to the rank of knighthood and would end up serving an existing knight as his attendant or his "shield carrier." It was only in the middle age, the rank of an esquire came to be recognized formally. Once knighthood as a position was considered to be given by none but the monarch, the assumption of the squire to end up as a knight was also done away with. The link between a squire and knight was also over and the squire was relegated to a holder of a particular social status or rank. In present times, an esquire or squire is an English county gentleman or the chief landowner in a district. He may also be a judge or a local dignitary.
A squire usually aspired to the rank of knighthood and would end up serving an existing knight as his attendant or his "shield carrier." It was only in the middle age, the rank of an esquire came to be recognized formally. Once knighthood as a position was considered to be given by none but the monarch, the assumption of the squire to end up as a knight was also done away with. The link between a squire and knight was also over and the squire was relegated to a holder of a particular social status or rank. In present times, an esquire or squire is an English county gentleman or the chief landowner in a district. He may also be a judge or a local dignitary.
