How did medieval mercenaries actually act?

It makes little doubt that, as far than 1400's genoese crossbowmen were in large proportion from Genoa, Genoa's contado or regions close to Genoa using the same features. Now, among the name "Genoese crossbowmen" you had a large part of regular footmen or "piétons".

From what I understood the crossbowmen themselves were professionals who were paid a fair bit and brought armed retainers with them.

Would those be the "pietons"?
 

Redbeard

Banned
The point of war is to make enemy do what you want him to do.

But that would also go for love, politics, business or whatever...;)

I would go for good old Clausewitz: "war is a mere continuation of politics by other means".

But I guess you could also say: "Love is the mere continuation of looking for girls by other means" :D

Regards

Steffen Redbeard

PS: A good thread with many interesting views and informations on mercenaries :)
 
From what I understood the crossbowmen themselves were professionals who were paid a fair bit and brought armed retainers with them.

"Professional" yes, but not in the modern meaning.

Originally, the crossbowmen were sailors from Genoa that were able to make quick attacks on the coast (using ships as siege engines as well). In time of peace, unemployed they searched for someone wanting to pay their services.

So, already there, we don't have real "professional" origin. But as usual, guys that learned about weapons during war and not finding a job after, or simply not willing to find one.

Furthermore, they quickly escapade the republic's grasp, that (as said above) was unable to refrain companies to form and to be hired, even by ennemies of the city.

They seems to have been less plunderers and raiders than the routiers, it's true, but it's maybe due to their specialisation that assured them to find work quickly.

Would those be the "pietons"?
It can define any non-noble footmen that wasn't a sergent (that are standing soldiers tied to someone by feudal link), an archer or a crossbowman.

Not sure if it understood the workers (as masons) though. It's possible but I don't have a clue. Probably it was sometimes counted as, and sometimes not.

So usually, "piétons" were pikers or equivalent (wielding weapon issued from rural world, often agricultural tool transformed into war weapons, then forged as war weapons).
 
But that would also go for love, politics, business or whatever...;)

I would go for good old Clausewitz: "war is a mere continuation of politics by other means".

Actually, Clausewitz does say "The point of war is to make enemy do what you want him to do.":

Clausewitz said:
War therefore is an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfil our will.
 
Its almost scary to realise that conan doyle thought that his mercenary books (eg the white company), showed the pinnacle of his skill, while sherlock holmes was just a potboiler.

Turning the rapine of mercenary ,godams, into the epitome of chivalry certainly did require a lot of ... creativity.
 
Turning the rapine of mercenary ,godams, into the epitome of chivalry certainly did require a lot of ... creativity.

Well, some mercenaries ended as knights, like Arnaud de Cervole. Well, ended is a big word, as he totally continued to be a raider and an plunderer, as well a traitor in battles.

Some ended by a quite pious life, like the one that became mercenary of a monastery with 24 men.

Finally some, like Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (El Cid) have today a big reputation (that let in shadow some of the...well "less interesting" aspects :p)
 
you should read the manga mercinary pierre which is about a fictional mercenary company serving joan d arc during the hundred years war. it provides a fascinating insigh into mercinaries and shows the true way mercinaries acted and behaved and sticks to what happened historically and shows how mercinaries behaved and acted. Usually most mercinary corps were actually bands of outlaws who had nothing to do once a war was over. so theysoon gather around which each other and form a coherent organuzation and then attack various towns and villages burning them down and taking the woman usually. they also drink a lot and are very laid back. However once they hear of a war going on they go tothat area and sign up to take part and depending on the level of skill an fame the mercinaries had they were put in different positions. However usually these mercinairies regardless of skill were put on the front lines. so usually during medieval battlefields they bared the brunt of the battle. Also unlike normal soldiers, mercinaries who were caught by the enemy would be put to death with no ransom given. it was a tough life that was high risk and high reward.
 
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