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DictionaryCavalierRoyalist supporter
noun

Cavalier

a supporter of Charles I in the English Civil War

The portrait shows a Cavalier who supported Charles I.

Etymology
cavalierItalianhorseman or knight

Italian cavaliere meant horseman or knight. In the English Civil War, Cavalier became a name for the royalist side, drawing on its associations with mounted soldiers and gentlemanly status.

More examples

  • The historian compares Cavalier and Parliamentarian accounts of the battle.
  • His family supported the Cavaliers during the English Civil War.
  • The exhibit includes letters written by a Cavalier.

Forms

Cavalier · Cavaliers

Similar words

Royalist
A broader term for a supporter of monarchy.
Parliamentarian
Identifies the opposing side in the English Civil War.