Banner (military association)

The banner was a tactical organizational unit of the knight armies in the Middle Ages . A banner comprised four to six lances and united up to 100 noble and non-noble warriors. They had to fight on horseback if possible. At the head of the banner stood the banner lord or banner knight. As a rule, he only commanded his own vassals and their followers. Particularly wealthy banner owners were able to set up banners with twice the team strength ("double banners").

Ideally, five to ten banners formed an army or slaughterhouse , which in turn was commanded by a great liege lord .