Middle ages mercenary company size
- Thread starter cdoctor13
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No, but try running a search inside this book:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0631158863/?tag=absolutewritedm-20
Or try just buying that book--if you're writing a book about medieval mercenaries, I'm sure it'll come in handy more than once.
Oh! That looks like a fun book!
If you plug it into google books, you get some numbers around page 9. 3000-12000, but it sounds like those were assembled conglomerates of smaller groups. And likely inflated by local rabble, since the 12000 notes only 3 or 4 thousand actual soldiers.
Great question! Can't wait for more answers.
The major mercenary companies were several thousand strong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_Grand_Company
Another book to read on the subject is Frances Stonor Saunders biography of Sir John Hawkwood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_Grand_Company
Another book to read on the subject is Frances Stonor Saunders biography of Sir John Hawkwood
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It's one of those "it all depends" questions, isn't it?
Which part of the Middle Ages? A band of Flemish mercenaries who worked for King John would be very different to the White Company, or the Italian crossbowmen who turned up at Agincourt, or the groups of Scots who often turned up working for the French.
And then, was it a specialist unit, like the Italian crossbowmen, or more general?
Which part of the Middle Ages? A band of Flemish mercenaries who worked for King John would be very different to the White Company, or the Italian crossbowmen who turned up at Agincourt, or the groups of Scots who often turned up working for the French.
And then, was it a specialist unit, like the Italian crossbowmen, or more general?
What Evaine said. There were also Irish mercenaries working in France, but it depends on the period.
If they were organized under the Roman system it would be by groups of 100, 60, or 80 depending on the time period. For horses, groups of 30 with 300 being a full contingent.
Appendix C in that book is called, "The Numerical Strength of the Great Companies"...