The Scottish Soldiers Of Fortune

Claymore for hire-the story of the Scottish mercenary There have always been mercenaries and some nations have a better temperament for the trade than others. Mercenaries, both historically and present day, have tended to be hardy men from mountainous, uncompromising countries and climates. In an age of families which expected to have numerous sons to ensure a continuation of the line, 'young gentlemen' of the Quentin Durward variety often took to the sword to make their way in the world. The Scots have always been attracted to the mercenary life-especially at times when there was no war to fight at home-and their mercenary numbers were made up of all ranks from senior officers to common soldiers, who would sometimes go into foreign service as an entire regiment. The high point of Scottish mercenary activity was during the European wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when upwards of an incredible 40,000 Scots were employed under arms at any one time. This excellent book discusses the role of the Scots in the service of Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal and France and it makes fascinating reading especially for those interested in pre-Napoleonic warfare. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

This classic work of military history tells the story of the many Scottish soldiers who served as mercenaries and adventurers in Europe and beyond over the centuries. From the Scottish pikemen who fought in the armies of Gustavus Adolphus to the Highland regiments who served in India, Africa, and the Americas, these soldiers played a crucial role in shaping the history of warfare and empire in the early modern period. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Scottish military service, mercenaries and soldiers of fortune, or early modern European history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This book documents the heroic deeds of Scottish soldiers of fortune who served in various European armies from the 16th to the 19th centuries. It provides detailed accounts of their military exploits, adventures, and achievements in battlefield, including the renowned Black Watch regiment. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Details the adventures and achievements during the 16th and 17th centuries of not only Scottish individuals, but in some instances entire Scottish regiments. More than 40,000 Scottish soldiers were in action on the continent during this era. Their stories were omitted from most Scottish histories. Scotsmen trained the armies and founded the fleets of Russia. For generations the old Scots Brigade of immortal memory was the boasted 'Bulwark of Holland'. Second to none in war and glory were the Scottish guard of the French Kings-that guard of which only four were left alive when Francis I gave up his sword on the field of Paris.

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Excerpt from The Scottish Soldiers of Fortune: Their Adventures and Achievements in the Armies of Europe Their achievements will form, ir is hoped, a stirring addition to our military annals, omit-ted in Scottish history, and will further show how our people, in whatever land they are cast, rise above those by whom they are surrounded, as surely as oil rises above water, to quote a writer who certainly was no friend to Scotland or her fame; and how many of them won the highest honours, civil and military - honours which many of their lineal descendants hold in the lands of their adoption. It will be shown how Scotsmen trained the armies and founded the eets of Russia; how for generations the old Scots Brigade of immortal memory was the boasted Bulwark of Holland; while second to none in war and glory were the Scottish Guard of the French Kings - that Guard of which only four were left alive when Francis I gave up his sword on the field of Pavia. Moreover, in this new mine of Scottish history, many, it is hoped, may discover the names of ancestors, relatives, and clansmen hitherto unknown to them. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."