What is "knight marshal"

Knight marshal \Knight" mar"shal\n. (Eng. Law) An officer in the household of the British sovereign, who has cognizance of transgressions within the royal household and verge, and of contracts made there, a member of the household being one of the parties.
--Wharton.

Marshal \Mar"shal\, n. [OE. mareschal, OF. mareschal, F. mar['e]chal, LL. mariscalcus, from OHG. marah-scalc (G. marschall); marah horse + scalc servant (akin to AS. scealc, Goth. skalks). F. mar['e]chal signifies, a marshal, and a farrier. See Mare horse, and cf. Seneschal.]

1. Originally, an officer who had the care of horses; a groom. [Obs.]

2. An officer of high rank, charged with the arrangement of ceremonies, the conduct of operations, or the like; as, specifically:

   1. One who goes before a prince to declare his coming and provide entertainment; a harbinger; a pursuivant.

   2. One who regulates rank and order at a feast or any other assembly, directs the order of procession, and the like.

   3. The chief officer of arms, whose duty it was, in ancient times, to regulate combats in the lists.
      --Johnson.

   4. (France) The highest military officer. In other countries of Europe a marshal is a military officer of high rank, and called field marshal.

   5. (Am. Law) A ministerial officer, appointed for each judicial district of the United States, to execute the process of the courts of the United States, and perform various duties, similar to those of a sheriff. The name is also sometimes applied to certain police officers of a city.

      Earl marshal of England, the eighth officer of state; an honorary title, and personal, until made hereditary in the family of the Duke of Norfolk. During a vacancy in the office of high constable, the earl marshal has jurisdiction in the court of chivalry.
      --Brande & C.

      Earl marshal of Scotland, an officer who had command of the cavalry under the constable. This office was held by the family of Keith, but forfeited by rebellion in 1715.

      Knight marshal, or Marshal of the King's house, formerly, in England, the marshal of the king's house, who was authorized to hear and determine all pleas of the Crown, to punish faults committed within the verge, etc. His court was called the Court of Marshalsea.

      Marshal of the Queen's Bench, formerly the title of the officer who had the custody of the Queen's bench prison in Southwark.
      --Mozley & W.

n. (context UK historical English) An officer in the royal household, responsible for maintaining order in court.

The Knight Marshal is a former office in the British Royal Household established by King Henry III in 1236. The position later became a Deputy to the Earl Marshal from the reign of Henry VIII until the office was abolished in 1846 .

The Knight Marshal and his men were responsible for maintaining order within the King's Court ( Court of Marshalsea or Palace Court) which was abolished in 1849.

According to The Present State of the British Court, published in 1720,

"The Knight Marshal is an Officer employ'd in the King's Court or Marshalsea, and the Marshal's Men under him are properly the King's Bailiffs. They arrest in the Verge of the Court {i.e. within a 12 mile radius of the Sovereign's palace} when a Warrant is back'd by the Board of Green-cloth. The Knight Marshal and his Men have place in all publick Cavalcades, at Declaring of War, Proclaiming Peace, publick Entries and Processions made by the Soveraign."

The Knight Marshal was appointed by the Crown for life by letters patent under the great seal frequently in the form of grants in reversion. Board wages were fixed at £21 5s 10d in 1662. In 1685 a salary of £26 was provided. This was raised to £500 in 1790 but reduced to £271 in 1816.

The separate office of Knight Marischal exists in the Royal Household of Scotland, but has not been filled since 1863.