Information About ™Landsknecht |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT LANDSKNECHT | |
| warfare of the early modern era | |
| landsknechts | |
| military units and formations of the early modern era | |
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Landsknechts (singular '''Landsknecht''', German plural '''Landsknechte''' sometimes also in English publications) were European , most often German , Mercenary Pikemen and Foot Soldier s from the late 15th to the early 17th Century , with the formidable reputation for being the most effective fighting troops during the European Renaissance . ETYMOLOGY The term is from German , ''Land'' "land, country" + ''Knecht'' "servant", attested from ca. 1480 . It was originally intended to indicate soldiers of the lowlands of the Holy Roman Empire as opposed to the Swiss Mercenaries . Already from 1500 the misleading spelling of ''Lanzknecht'', became common by association with ''Lanze'' " Lance ". The term Landser current in WWII is directly based on ''Landsknecht'', as is the name of the French card-game '' Lansquenet ''. HISTORY The first ''Landsknecht'' Regiment s were formed by Maximilian I , the Holy Roman Emperor and Austrian - German Monarch 1459 - 1519 . He called upon Georg Von Frundsberg , known by many as the ''Father of the Landsknechts'', to assist him in their organization. They later went on to fight in almost every 16th Century Military Campaign , sometimes on both sides of the engagement. The landsknechts owned the redoubtable Swiss Mercenaries when the rigid Swiss battle formations became vulnerable to the increased fire power of Arquebus and Artillery . The landsknechts used much more efficient tactics better suited to these recently introduced weapons technologies, and soon adopted the new weaponry as well. The landsknechts typically came from Swabia , Alsace , Flanders , and the Rhineland , but ultimately the regiments were made up of men from all parts of Europe. ORGANIZATION The regiments often expanded from 4,000 to 10,000 men according to circumstances, and it was this flexibility which allowed them to be used in various battle conditions. ''Oberste'' ( Colonel s) were given recruiting commissions by the Emperor to form regiments, with a lieutenant-colonel and various regimental staff, and units divided into ''Fähnleins'' ( Companies ) with a ''Hauptmann'' ( Captain ) in charge, as well as Lieutenant s and ''Fähnriche'' ( Ensign s). Other ranks included ''majors of the Court-martial '' and officers in charge of Camp Follower s. WEAPONS Landsknechts were well-known as the most efficient pikemen, trained in the use of the famous ''long Pike s'' and used the Pike Square formations developed by the ''Swiss''. The majority of Landsknechts would use pikes, but others were more specialized, and used different weapons. An experienced Landsknecht would be called a ''Doppelsöldner'', and instead of wielding a pike along with the new recruits, would employ a six to eight foot long Halberd or Partisan , or a '' Zweihänder '', Two-handed Sword s as long as 6 feet. These great war swords could be used to hack off the heads of enemy pikes, or more likely; to knock the pikes aside and create disorder in the tightly arranged line of pikes, in order to break through enemy lines. Doppelsöldner meant double soldier/mercenary, because they were paid double the wages of their less experienced counterparts. Other Landsknechts would use Arquebuses, the precursor to muskets. When the Landsknechts were first formed, Arquebusiers took up a quarter of the total number of soldiers, but the number gradually grew to be about half. CLOTHES However, what made the landsknechts so conspicuous was their elaborate dress. Doublet s, deliberately Slashed at the front, back and sleeves with shirts and other wear pulled through to form puffs of different-colored fabric, so-called Slash And Puff ; Parti-colored hose; Jerkin s; ever-broader flat Beret -type Hat s with tall feathers; and broad flat Shoe s, made them bodies of men that could not be mistaken. MODERN IMAGE Empire soldiers in the Landsknecht style]] There are Landsknecht associations in various European countries, as well as in the USA, which promote interest in the Renaissance tradition of the landsknechts and who often stage revivals and festivals. Their popularity has also been increased in part by their inclusion as powerful units in Age Of Empires III , and by the similarity they bear to Empire soldiers in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy Battles . EXTERNAL LINKS
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