Swordsmen and Crusaders are the level 4 creatures of Castle. They can be recruited from the Barracks.
"Well armed and armored, swordsmen and crusaders are better all-around foot soldiers than their pikemen companions. Crusaders deliver two blows per attack." RoE manual
Heroes with a specialty
Catherine the Knight and
Sorsha the Knight have swordsmen as a specialty, which increases the attack and defense skills of any swordsmen or crusaders for each level attained after 4th level and gives them a speed bonus of 1.
Roland the Knight's specialty is bugged so it affects crusaders only. (Fixed in 深渊号角) 
See also: