Hird

The hird (also named "Håndgangne Menn" in Norwegian), in Scandinavian history, was originally an informal retinue of personal armed companions,^[1] hirdmen or housecarls. Over time, it came to mean not only the nucleus ('Guards') of the royal army but also a more formal royal court household.^[2]

^ For this Germanic tradition the German generic term Gefolgschaft 'body of followers' is also used in modern literature; it was even adopted by powerful Romans in the late empire, by such Latin names as bucellarii or the more common comitatus.
^ Gjerset, Knut (1915). History of the Norwegian People. Vol. 1. The MacMillan Company.

[1] For this Germanic tradition the German generic term Gefolgschaft 'body of followers' is also used in modern literature; it was even adopted by powerful Romans in the late empire, by such Latin names as bucellarii or the more common comitatus.

[2] Gjerset, Knut (1915). History of the Norwegian People. Vol. 1. The MacMillan Company.

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