What is Boyar?
1.
noun - was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Bulgarian, Romanian, and Russian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th century through the 17th century.
As well, represented as a kick-ass melee/missle cavalry unit useable in the Medieval Total War games when playing as (mainly) the Russian faction.
Boyars weren't exactly the Eastern equivalent of Western knights, but they were close.
While playing in an online battle of Medieval Total War, Chris decimated the rear ranks of his oppoinents' spearmen by cavalry rushing with two units of Boyars.
See
