Landsknechts Colorful mercenaries
Paid soldiers of the 16th century Holy Roman Empire.
In the high Renaissance in Europe (c.e.1500-1600) Landsknechts, were the highest paid mercenary troops of the time. Their ranks included pikemen, swordemen, and gunners
Landsknechts were typically German speaking men from Bavaria, Swabia, Alsace, Flanders, and the Rhineland. They were organized in mixed military formations of mercenary pike men and foot soldiers with the reputation for being one of the most effective fighting troops on any battlefield. Landsknecht were often recruited in taverns and fairs by a titled colonel (Oberst) and signed contracts to fight as mercenary soldiers in some war the new Landsknecht probably didn't even know anything about for a country he had often never heard of. These troops fought in the Low-land Wars, the Thirty years wars, against Italian city-states, and against Turkish incursions into the Empire. They found employment in virtually every 16th century military campaign, often on both sides of the engagement.
The first Landsknecht regiments were formed by Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor and Austrian-German monarch 1459 - 1519. The German word "Landsknecht" literally means "land farmhand". He appointed Georg von Frundsberg, known as the Father of the Landsknechts, to assist him in their organization. The regiments were very flexible and could vary greatly in size from several hundred to nearly ten thousand men depending ion the campaign and financier. They formed great moving cities with caravan's miles long as they carried their assorted camp followers and often their families with them around Europe. More often than not they were not well loved by thier hosts. For example, in 1534 the good people of Siena provided the “Great Company” with a “gift feast ” seasoned with 35 pounds of poison, though unforutnately not a single one of the rowdy troops died as a result.
Landsknechts units were based around a core of efficient pike men, trained in the use of 16 foot long pikes and used the pike square formations developed by the Swiss. More than half of the unit would be made of these men with specialized subunits of arquebus shooters, halberdiers, and long swordsmen. The most feared of the Landsknecht would be called a Doppelsöldner, (Double soldier) and would receive twice the pay of a regular fighter. These men would carry the zweihänder, a two-handed sword as long as a man was tall. Its main purpose was to down charging horsemen and cut off oncoming pike heads. Doppelsöldner often wore armor and fought in the front of the unit. They were always the most veteran members typically with years of experience in warfare. Larger units carried towed artillery pieces with them.
Maximilian I gave the Landsknechts the right to wear whatever colors and types of clothing they wished. This lead to a force of very flamboyant troops was garishly dressed with slashing, multiple colors, spoils of battle, and huge gaudy feathered hats. Often spending many years away from their homeland and with very little room for storage these men found themselves wearing the fruits of the labor and spent vast amounts of sums on richly colored clothing.
After the death of Charles V, the highly trained troops eventually went unpaid and many large regiments broke apart into smaller bands and free companies or disbanded all together. By the end of the century, the colorful independent troops were consigned to the history books and the hearts of SCA enthusiasts everywhere. Todays Swiss Guards are an offshoot of these mercenaries of yesteryear.
