retinue

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

retinue
    n 1: the group following and attending to some important person
         [syn: {cortege}, {retinue}, {suite}, {entourage}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Retinue \Ret"i*nue\, n. [OE. retinue, OF. retinue, fr. retenir
   to retain, engage, hire. See {Retain}.]
   The body of retainers who follow a prince or other
   distinguished person; a train of attendants; a suite.
   [1913 Webster]

         Others of your insolent retinue.         --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

         What followers, what retinue canst thou gain? --Milton.
   [1913 Webster]

   {To have at one's retinue}, to keep or employ as a retainer;
      to retain. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

31 Moby Thesaurus words for "retinue":
      attendance, attendant, attendants, body of retainers, cohort,
      company, convoy, cortege, court, crew, employees, entourage,
      escort, follower, followers, following, force, gang, groupies,
      help, hired help, men, parasite, personnel, rout, satellite,
      servantry, staff, suite, the help, train