arriere-ban

CIDE DICTIONARY

arriere-ban, n. [F., fr. OE. arban, heriban, fr. OHG. hariban, heriban, G. heerbann, the calling together of an army; OHG. heri an army + ban a public call or order. The French have misunderstood their old word, and have changed it into arrière-ban, though arrière has no connection with its proper meaning. See Ban, Abandon.].

 A proclamation, as of the French kings, calling not only their immediate feudatories, but the vassals of these feudatories, to take the field for war; also, the body of vassals called or liable to be called to arms, as in ancient France.  [1913 Webster]