6 Legendary Mercenary Armies From History

Throughout history, wars have been fought not just by nations, but by men who chose the path of the mercenary. These warriors for hire have shaped the course of conflicts, driven by gold, glory, and the promise of adventure. From ancient times to modern battlefields, their stories are filled with bravery, treachery, and incredible feats. Today we're diving into the fascinating world of mercenaries. 6. The Ten Thousand The Ten Thousand were a motley assortment of Greek warriors contracted by Cyrus the Younger to help oust his brother King Artaxerxes II from the Persian throne. In 401 BC, the Hellenic soldiers for hire, many of them hardened veterans of the Peloponnesian War, fought alongside Cyrus and his rebel army in a clash with the king's forces near Baghdad. While the Ten Thousand held their own in combat, Cyrus was killed in the battle, and the mercenaries' generals were double-crossed and murdered while trying to negotiate a retreat. Under pursuit from Artaxerxes II's troops and hostile natives alike, the surviving Ten Thousand members were forced to band together and fight their way out of enemy territory. After electing Xenophon as one of their new leaders, the army embarked on a grueling nine-month odyssey that took them from the heart of Babylonia to Greece. Despite facing constant ambushes, punishing weather and famine, they arrived on friendly soil with nearly three-fourths of their numbers still intact. 5. The White Company The White Company was one of the most infamous of the so-called Free Companies, bands of for-profit soldiers who conducted the lion's share of warfare in 14th century Italy. The unit first rose to prominence in the 1360s before falling under the command of Sir John Hawkwood, an Englishman who had been knighted for his service in the Hundred Years' War. With Hawkwood at the helm, the White Company became known as one of the most elite mercenary armies in Italy. Its troops, a cultural hodgepodge of English, German, Breton and Hungarian adventurers, were renowned for their skill with the long bow and the lance, and they terrified opponents with their lighting-quick surprise attacks and willingness to do battle during harsh weather or even at night. In an era when Italy was splintered between warring city-states and medieval lords, the men of the White Company made a killing by auctioning their services off to the highest bidder. 4. The Swiss Guard Today, the Swiss Guard is known as striped-uniformed protectors of the Pope in the Vatican, but their history stretches back to bands of mercenaries that flourished during the Renaissance. More than one million Swiss adventurers fought in Europe's armies between the 15th and 19th centuries. These troops were among the first European soldiers to master the use of pikes and halberds against more heavily armored foes, and by the 1400s, their revolutionary tactics and sheer ruthlessness had earned them a reputation as the best contract troops money could buy. A small contingent of 150 Swiss soldiers of fortune began serving as papal bodyguards in 1506, and the unit endured as the official watchmen of the Vatican even after Switzerland banned its citizens from working as mercenaries. Still clad in their brightly colored Renaissance-era uniforms, the Swiss Guards of today must be Roman Catholics, stand at least 5 foot 6 inches tall, and have a military background. 3. The Flying Tigers Officially known as the American Volunteer Group, the famed Flying Tigers were a three-squadron force of fighter pilots who fought with the Chinese against the Japanese during World War II. Eager to impede the Japanese takeover of China while still remaining neutral, President Franklin D. Roosevelt allowed former U.S. military officer Claire Chennault to quietly recruit fighter jocks from the ranks of the U.S. Army Air Force. The risks were high, but so was the pay. While most Air Force pilots received a salary of around $260 a month, Chennault's mercenaries earned between $1,600 and $1,750, along with a $1,500 bonus for each Japanese aircraft they shot down. Despite flying slower, less maneuverable fighters than the enemy, the Americans downed 296 Japanese aircraft and destroyed more than 1,300 riverboats, all while only losing 69 planes and some two dozen men. 2. The Catalan Grand Company First organized in 1302 by the adventurer Roger de Flore, the Catalan Grand Company was primarily composed of rugged Spanish veterans of the War of the Sicilian Vespers in Italy. Left unemployed at the conflict's end, de Flore and his mercenaries contracted themselves to the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II, who brought them to the eastern Mediterranean to fight off invading Ottoman Turks. The 6,500 strong Catalans succeeded in sweeping the Turks away from Constantinople, but their penchant for wanton sacking and looting also drew the ire of the Byzantines. In 1305, de Flore and some 1,300 of his men were ambushed and killed by another group of mercenaries in the Emperor's employ. Rather than disband, the surviving Catalans embarked on one of the bloodiest and most bewildering adventures in medieval military history. 1. The Varangian Guard The descendants of Norsemen who originally ventured south as pirates and traders, the Varangian Guard were a band of Viking mercenaries paid to serve as the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor. The Guard first took up their post in the late 10th century for Emperor Basil II, who preferred the axe-wielding barbarians to his more easily corruptible countrymen. The unit immediately proved useful in putting down a rebellion and they served as Constantinople's protectors for over 200 years. At first, the Varangian Guard was almost entirely composed of hard-fighting, hard-drinking Vikings, but by the late 11th century, their ranks began to be filled out by Englishmen, Normans and Danes. Initiates had to demonstrate their prowess in battle and were forced to pay a small fortune in gold as an entrance fee. Still, the gifts showered on the Varangians ensured that its members left extremely wealthy for their loyalty, and some even went on to achieve positions of immense power. One of the most famous Guardsmen was Harald Hardrada, who later claimed the throne of Norway. Did you enjoy this video? Subscribe for more historical content and consider becoming a member of our community. 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