The Formidable Swiss Mercenaries Dominated European Battlefields For 200 Years
Swiss mercenaries had a fearsome reputation for being ruthless and utterly effective
Published in
6 min readOct 25, 2022
For 200 years, from 1315 until 1515, the resilient Swiss infantry knew almost no defeat.
Living in the harsh environment of the Alps, the Swiss were hardened, brutal, and bold soldiers.
They fought with swords, pikes, and halberds, which became their signature weapon.
Since the Swiss were not into banking yet, they decided to profit by selling their military skills to the highest bidder. Due to their aura of invincibility, they became the most sought-after mercenaries.
During the Renaissance, everybody who could afford to wanted to hire Swiss mercenaries.
“Take no prisoners” approach
During the 14th century, the European knights and nobility who lost in a battle were captured and not killed. After the battle, they were ransomed.
