Hist. [ad. med.L. Turcopōlus (Orderic. Vital.) -pūlus (Matt. Paris), Turcoplus (Roger Hoveden), in Byzantine Gr. Τουρκόπουλοι or -πουλα, according to Albert Aq. (in Du Cange) f. Τουρκο- Turk + πῶλος foal, young animal, in late Gr. ‘child,’ L. pullus young animal, applied to children of a Turkish or Saracen father and Greek mother. So OF. turcople.] A light-armed soldier of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
[1852. Sir J. Taaffe, Hist. Order St. John, I. I. iii. 191. Of Turcopili we read in old chronicles they were light cavalry, but on other occasions they had cuirasses. There were a corps of them kept by the Emperor of Constantinople.]
1896. Dict. Nat. Biog., XLVII. 336/2. He [John Rawson] was appointed [in 1527] turcopolier or commander of the turcopoles or light infantry of the order.
