infantry

• "in europe during the middle ages, upper-class boys who hoped to become knights would serve as squires. around the age of 13, the boy was apprenticed to a knight. he was taught skills with the sword, lance and shield and learned the duties and responsibilities of knighthood. as a squire grew older, he was expected to follow his master into battle and protect him if the knight fell in battle (see brett and mccallin 1996). italians called a young soldier who followed his knight into battle on foot infante, which literally means child, and collectively these children made up the infanteria, or infantry." (alcinda honwana (2009), children in war: reintegrating child soldiers)