Housecarls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historical term for elite warriors serving a king or noble in Norse society, often forming a household guard
2. Referring to the heavily armed retainers loyal to a chieftain, primarily in Viking and medieval Scandinavian contexts
3. Denoting the professional soldiers in the service of a lord, notable for their loyalty and combat skills in early Northern European history

Etymology: "Karl" was once a respectable word. In Old Norse it meant a free man, and a housecarl was literally a man of the household, a retainer who lived under his lord's roof. The Old English "huscarl" pairs "hus" (house) with the same word, and English "churl" is that same word after it slid down the social ladder. In English, "churl" came to mean a rude or miserly person, while "carl" survived mainly in Scots and northern dialects. The housecarls themselves were elite fighters, the household troops who guarded a king or earl and were supported by him. Their name marks the bond of living together rather than any particular weapon or battle skill.