"Where would mounted sergants be in the battle line" Topic

Would they be their own "units" like we like to do in wargaming, a sort of medium cavalry? Or would they take the 2,3 etc rank in the MMAA formations?

I think usually the latter. Troops were organised as 'lances' of a few knights and sergeants: I'm not sure these would be split up.

The French opened their attack at Bouvines (1214) with a unit composed entirely of mounted sergeants:

After he said this, he sent ahead, on the Count of Saint-Pol's advice, 150 mounted sergeants to start the battle. He did this with the aim that the noble combatants of France, whom we have named above, would find their enemy somewhat agitated and worried.

(Guillaume le Breton)

Then the king asked for an echelon of mounted sergeants, who were all carrying pennants at the tips of their swords ("qui portoient tot penonceaus en lor glaives"), to assemble, and they did. They attacked the Flemings and performed many great deeds.

(Anonymous of Bethune. I suspect that "glaives" here may mean "lances" rather than the translator's "swords")

- but this seems to have been atypical.

I think you are correct about glaives. Wiktionary has a second definition of "A light lance with a long sharp-pointed head."

link

Jim

After reading through the Latin and Arabic, from the era of the crusades, texts the latter appears to be the most common; the sergeants being used to augment the knights, hence increasing the numbers.