Landsknechts: Some of the Most Sought-After Mercenaries of Early Modern Europe

The Landsknechts - arguably one of the most famous, most effective and most sought-after mercenary troops of Europe, but sometimes also pitiless plunderers and ruthless rogues. Armed with dreaded pikes and 2 handed swords the Landsknechts were admired by their allies and feared by their enemies. Here’s how the Landsknechts became a force to be reckoned with. Many contemporary historiographical accounts tell the tale of the Landsknechts' rise as follows:

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Baime, A. J., The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman, 2017. https://amzn.to/3TcDGUj
Beard, M., Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World, 2023. https://amzn.to/49L2olR
Bevoor, A., Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943, 1999. https://amzn.to/4a4rqwe
Beevor, A., The Second World War, 2013. https://amzn.to/3wNFITu
Brennan, P+D., Gettysburg in Color, 2022. https://amzn.to/48LGldG
Clausewitz, C., On War, 2010. https://amzn.to/3Vblf5
Kaushik, R., A Global History of Pre-Modern Warfare: 10,000 BCE–1500 CE, 2021. https://amzn.to/49Mtqt7
McPherson, J., Battle Cry of Freedom, The Civil War Era, 2021. https://amzn.to/3TseYAW
Tsu, S., The Art of War, 2007, https://amzn.to/3TuknHA
Sledge. E. B., With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, 2008. https://amzn.to/439olIK
Pomerantsev, P., How to Win an Information War, 2024. https://amzn.to/3Ts0YqQ


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Sources:
Baumann, Reinhard, Landsknechte, Ihre Geschichte und Kultur vom späten Mittelalter bis zum Dreissigjährigen Krieg, München 1994.
Fiedler, Siegfried, Kriegswesen und Kriegführung im Zeitalter der Landsknechte (Heerwesen der Neuzeit, Abt. 1, Bd. 2) Koblenz 1985.
Fiedler, Siegfried, Landsknechte. Waffe und Waffengebrauch (Heerwesen der Neuzeit, Abt. 1, Bd. 1) Koblenz 1984.
Mallett, Michael; Shaw, Christine, The Italian Wars. 1494-1559, Harlow 2012.
Rogers, Clifford, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology (Vol. I.), Oxford 2010.
Rogg, Matthias, s.v. Landsknecht, in: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit.
Rogg, Matthias, Landsknechte und Reisläufer. Bilder vom Soldaten. Ein Stand in der Kunst des 16. Jh.s, 2002.
Stadler, Hans, s.v. Schlacht bei Pavia, in: Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz.
Tallett, Frank , European Warfare 1350–1750, Cambridge 2010.

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