Heerschild

The Heerschild (German: [ˈheːɐ̯ˌʃɪlt]; Latin: clipeus militaris[1]), also called the shield of knighthood,[2] in the Early Middle Ages was the right to raise a feudal levy of troops.

The resulting importance of a system of military ranks, based on the ability to provide men for a campaign, became modified in the law books published in the 13th century.

It finally ended up as being an important part of the structure of medieval society, as captured in the feudal law element of the Sachsenspiegel by Eike von Repgow.

The Sachsenspiegel, the Saxon law book, portrays the society of the medieval empire as divided into seven feudal military levels or Heerschilde (lit.

As to the seventh level, the Sachsenspiegel remains vague, both in terms its composition, as well as whether it was in any real sense a Heerschild.