Squire or Esquire (from the English. Esquire) is a title in the UK, awarded for special services to the state and people. It is the lowest title of nobility in England, with roots deep in medieval history.
History
The English word esquire comes from the Norman escuier, which translates as "squire". The appearance of the word in Foggy Albion dates back to the 14th century, although it itself appeared three hundred years earlier. Initially, a squire is a knight's squire, his faithful servant and assistant. Later, this title was granted to all nobles who had their own coat of arms and seal, but did not bear the higher title of knight. Often you can find the opinion that the squire is the basic marker of a nobleman, at the same time indicating that he has no other titles and merits. Historically, the title was given at an early age to boys whose fathers were knights' squires or knights themselves.
After a while, the word "esquire" was transformed into "squire", which indicated that a person belonged to a small landownership. The squire was often the landowner of any one village, renting out its territory. This iswas the main source of his income. In return, the squire received a formal position on the village council.
The situation today
Today, the title of squire is awarded in various English-speaking countries. So, in England today, a squire is an official or official who works closely with the government. In the United States, "squire" is an appeal to lawyers who have the appropriate education, diploma and qualifications. There you can also hear a similar appeal to employees of diplomatic missions.
When writing a title, the word is often not written in its entirety and is shortened to esq. In general, British dictionaries give only one method of using this word - in writing. It's also worth mentioning that Squire is a common British surname.
