Swiss mercenaries in the Middle Ages. Swiss mercenary troops

Swiss mercenary troops on foreign service appear already in the 14th century, when in 1373 there were many mercenaries from the Visconti army different places Switzerland. As their fame spread, demand for their service began to grow, especially in the 15th century; Already in 1444, at the Battle of St. Jacob, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which the constant goal of French policy was to attract them to the service of France.

Swiss mercenaries served in 1465 in the army of the enemies of Louis XI at Montlhéry, and in 1462 - under Count Palatine of the Rhine Frederick I at Seckenheim. Real treaties began to be concluded between the Swiss mercenaries and France (the first such treaty was concluded by Charles VII in 1452-1453), which were renewed several times.

Particularly important is the 1474 treaty concluded against Charles the Bold. According to this treaty, the king (Louis XI) undertakes, as long as he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must equally distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king is at war and requires help, to provide him with armed men, so that they receive from him a salary of 4 1/2 guilders a month each and for each trip to the field at least three months' salary and that the mercenaries enjoyed the benefits royal troops. If the negotiating villages call on the king for help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by war, then he pays them a reward of 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.

This treaty enabled Charles VIII to internecine war with the Duke of Orleans, use 5,000 Swiss mercenaries (1488), and during the campaign against Naples, use the services of 20 thousand Swiss, who brought him great benefit during the retreat, especially when crossing the Apennines. In 1495, King Charles VIII organized a permanent Swiss army at court called the Cent Suisses.

At this time, the struggle for Italy created an increased need for mercenaries; Switzerland became the main place for recruiting troops from the Central European powers. Of the Italian sovereigns, the Duke of Savoy was the first to invite the Swiss into his service, and from 1501 - Venice.

The Spanish government also began, at the end of the 15th century, to use the service of Swiss mercenaries, mainly in the form of security guards for the Spanish Viceroy in Naples.

French revolution did not at all destroy mercenaryism, but only gave it a different direction: service to the Bourbons ceased, but their mercenaries went over to serve partly for the republic, partly for its enemies - in the army of Condé, the Vendeans, and Paoli in Corsica, for whom they fought already in 1768 deserters from the Genoese mercenaries. In 1798, France recruited into its ranks mercenary Swiss troops that were in Piedmont's pay, and in 1808, two Spanish regiments, while five others were fighting for Spanish independence at that time.

England, which even during the struggle with Louis XIV kept Swiss mercenary troops on payroll for the war on the continent, now, in the fight against the French Republic and Empire, put the Swiss into action, hiring a Piedmontese regiment, and then detachments that were previously in the French and Spanish service; During the second coalition of England, Swiss emigrants served. This can also include those Swiss troops that followed Ferdinand of Bourbon, who was expelled from Naples, to Sicily.

When Switzerland was transformed into the Helvetic Republic, its military forces were at the disposal of French government; in 1798, six Helvetian semi-brigades were organized, from which Napoleon formed a regiment; then he formed 3 more additional regiments, which distinguished themselves in Spain and Russia.

In 1816, six Swiss regiments were recruited for France, four for the newly organized state of the Netherlands.

In Spain and Sardinia, mercenary troops existed on a negligible scale, as in Prussia, where since 1814 the Neuenburg (Neuchâtel) rifle battalion served in Berlin to Frederick William III, as sovereign of Neuchâtel.

The Dutch service closed to the Swiss shortly before the Polish Revolution, the French service as a consequence of this revolution; Neapolitan, on the contrary, since 1825 began to demand more and more more people. Since 1832, Pope Gregory XVI recruited his mercenary troops exclusively from the Swiss.

In 1848, Swiss mercenaries in Neapolitan service fought against the revolution; those in the papal service first fought against Austria, and then split: one part in 1849 began to fight for the Roman Republic, the other sided with the Austrians who invaded Roman possessions. Free crowds of Swiss mercenaries helped the Venetian Republic (with Manin at its head) fight off the Austrians; some of them fought for the independence of Lombardy.

New government system Switzerland put an end to mercenaryism as a correct and legalized social phenomenon, under the supervision and protection of the government, and left this matter to personal discretion, like any other income. Service in Naples continued until 1859, when the Swiss Federal Government announced that it considered the agreements of the individual cantons regarding the placement of the Swiss on military service from different powers. A detachment of Swiss mercenaries, however, continued to fight for Franz II until 1861, that is, until the capitulation of Gaeta.

In 1855, foreign legions arose to fight for France and England. Pius IX, upon his return to the Ecclesiastical region in 1852, created military force mainly from the Swiss, strengthening it in 1860 to significant proportions. In 1870, with the transfer of the Ecclesiastical region into the hands of the Italian king, this last arena was closed military activities Swiss mercenaries; only the Vatican guards remain behind them, where they form the so-called Swiss Guard. Based on detailed research by the Bernese officer in the Neapolitan service, R. von Steiger, since 1373, 105 recruitments and 623 detachments of Swiss mercenaries are considered; of the 626 senior officers, 266 served in France, 79 in Holland, 55 in Naples, 46 in Piedmont, 42 in Austria, 36 in Spain.

Literature

Zurlauben, “Histoire militaire des Suisses au service de la France” (P., 1751); May, “Histoire militaire de la Suisse et celle des Suisses dans les différents services de l’Europe” (Lausanne, 1788).

- Dad, who are these bearded guys with spades, ready to kill for 4 guilders and a jug of wine?
- These are Swiss mercenaries, son!

Swiss mercenary troops

Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service - Swiss soldiers and officers hired for military service in the army foreign countries in the period from the XIV to the XIX centuries.

Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service appeared already in the 14th century, when in 1373 the Visconti army included many mercenaries from different places in Switzerland. As their fame spread, demand for their services began to grow, especially in the 15th century; Already in 1444, at the Battle of St. Jakob an der Beers, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which it became a constant goal of French policy to recruit them into the service of France.

Swiss mercenaries serve in 1465 in the army of the enemies of Louis XI at Montlhéry, in 1462 - Count Palatine of the Rhine Frederick I at Seckenheim. Real treaties began to be concluded between the Swiss mercenaries and France (the first such treaty was concluded by Charles VII in 1452-1453), which were renewed several times.

The treaty of 1474, concluded against Charles the Bold, is especially important. According to this treaty, the king (Louis XI) undertakes, as long as he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must equally distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king is at war and requires help, to provide him with armed men, so that they receive from him a salary of 4 1/2 guilders a month each and for each trip to the field at least three months' salary and that the mercenaries took advantage of the royal troops. If the negotiating villages call on the king for help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by the war, then he pays them a reward of 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.

This agreement gave Charles VIII the opportunity to use 5,000 Swiss mercenaries in the internecine war with the Duke of Orleans (1488), and during the campaign against Naples to use the services of 20 thousand Swiss, who brought him great benefit during the retreat, especially when crossing the Apennines. In 1495, King Charles VIII organized a permanent Swiss army at court called the Cent Suisses.
At this time, the struggle for Italy created an increased need for mercenaries; Switzerland became the main place for recruiting troops from the Central European powers. Of the Italian sovereigns, the Duke of Savoy was the first to invite the Swiss into his service, and from 1501 - Venice.

During the struggle between Florence and Pisa, the Swiss fought in the troops of both sides. At the same time, the Swiss began to serve in Milan (since 1499), first to Lodovic Moreau, then to his son Massimilian Sforza. They appear in the army of the popes under Sixtus IV and especially under Julius II.

The Spanish government also began, at the end of the 15th century, to use the service of Swiss mercenaries, mainly in the form of security guards for the Spanish Viceroy in Naples.
Emperor Maximilian I used Swiss mercenaries in different parts their Burgundian possessions and in Italy. In the unrest that arose in Germany in 1519 as a result of the expulsion of Duke Ulrich of Württemberg, the Swiss served both in his army and in the ranks of his opponents. French service, however, played a major role in Swiss politics, especially after the 1515 defeat at Marignano.

When the Reformation began, Zwingli managed to retain Zurich in 1521, and in 1522 (at a short time) - and Schwyz from the renewal of the treaty with France; in 1528 Bern did the same, after he adopted the reform.

During internecine religious wars in France there were repeatedly extraordinary recruitments of Swiss into the Huguenot troops, and zealous Catholic politicians, with the "Swiss King" (as many called the brilliant Swiss leader, Lucerne Schultheis Ludwig Pfieffer) at the head, helped the league; some were drawn into the affairs of Savoy, others considered it their duty to support Spain. In the struggle of Charles V with the Schmalkalden Union, Catholic Swiss were in the service of the emperor - and at the same time, a detachment of Swiss fought in the ranks of the Schmalkalden, contrary to government prohibition.
In the relations established during the era of Catholic reaction, the service of Spain, and since 1582, the service of Savoy, comes to the fore for Catholics, since 1574; This is supplemented by service with minor Italian sovereigns - Gonzaga in Mantua, d'Este in Ferrara and then in Modena, the Medici in Florence, where a guard was formed from the Swiss.

During the 30 Years' War, in 1632, Gustav Adolf recruited two regiments from the Swiss, which were completely scattered at the battle of Nerdlingen; then we see Swiss mercenaries in the service of the Electoral Palatinate, Palatinate-Zweibrücken and the Elector of Saxony, and in Italy - in the republics of Genoa and Lucca.
The bulk of the Swiss mercenaries were in the service of France; by virtue of the treaty of 1663, Switzerland was, as it were, chained to a triumphal chariot Louis XIV. Under the terms of the treaty, the French government could recruit from 6 to 16 thousand people in Switzerland, but the emissaries French king slowly recruited an unlimited number of people for an insignificant salary, and French ambassador distributed recruitment patents without asking local authorities; free detachments (recruited not under a treaty or in excess of a treaty) were completely dependent on the French government and had to serve under its responsibility wherever it indicated to them, which at times led to an unpleasant violation of treaties for Switzerland with those countries with which it was at peace . This was the case, for example, during the struggle between France and Spain for Franche-Comté and especially during its clash with the Dutch, with whom, as fellow believers, the Swiss greatly sympathized; from 1676, a detachment of Swiss were in the service of the Netherlands for 10 years, and subsequently this service became a favorite in Protestant Switzerland.

In addition, many Swiss mercenary troops were in the service of the emperor, in Lorraine and Savoy, near Spanish king etc. France, during the period of greatest power of Louis XIV, kept up to 32 thousand Swiss on pay (after the Peace of Nimwegen).
Since 1734, the Neapolitan Bourbons began to keep a hired guard from the Swiss. The Brandenburg Guard of mercenaries was abolished after the death of Frederick I (1713); Even earlier, the service of the Swiss with the Venetians, who had a very significant number of mercenaries during the fight against the Turks in Morea, ceased.

The Lorraine Guard, transferred to Florence in 1737, was disbanded with the resettlement of Franz Stephen to Vienna. The number of Swiss mercenaries in the service of foreign sovereigns in the 18th century was still quite significant: according to calculations made during the Peace of Aachen, there were only about 60 thousand people, although there were many mercenaries among the Swiss themselves different nations. The second count in the 18th century was made at the beginning of the revolution; it turned out that there were about 35 thousand of all mercenaries, of which only 17 thousand were Swiss natives; the latter comprised, at the beginning of 1792, 13 French, 6 Dutch, 4 Spanish and 3 Piedmontese regiments, with 70 generals.
The French Revolution by no means destroyed mercenaryism, but only gave it a different direction: service to the Bourbons ceased, but their mercenaries went over to serve partly for the republic, partly for its enemies - in the army of Condé, the Vendeans, and Paoli in Corsica, for whom already in 1768 deserters from the Genoese mercenaries fought. In 1798, France recruited Swiss mercenary troops that were in Piedmont's pay, and in 1808, two Spanish regiments, while five others were fighting for Spanish independence at that time.

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Swiss mercenary troops- Swiss soldiers and officers who were hired for military service in the armies of foreign countries in the period from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

Story

XIV-XV centuries

Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service appeared already in the 14th century, when in 1373 the Visconti army included many mercenaries from different places in Switzerland. As their fame spread, demand for their services began to grow, especially in the 15th century; Already in 1444, at the Battle of Saint-Jacob, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which the constant goal of French policy was to attract them to the service of France.

The treaty of 1474, concluded against Charles the Bold, is especially important. According to this treaty, King Louis XI undertakes, as long as he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must equally distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king is at war and requires help, to deliver him armed people, so that they would receive from him a salary of 4 1/2 guilders per month each and for each trip to the field at least three months' salary and that the mercenaries would enjoy the benefits of the royal troops. If the negotiating villages call on the king for help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by war, then he pays them a reward of 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.

This agreement enabled Charles VIII to use 5,000 Swiss mercenaries in the internecine war with the Duke of Orleans (1488), and during the campaign against Naples to use the services of 20 thousand Swiss, who brought him great benefit during the retreat, especially when crossing the Apennines. In 1495, King Charles VIII organized a permanent Swiss army at court called the Cent Suisses.

16th century

17th century

The bulk of the Swiss mercenaries were in the service of France; by virtue of the treaty of 1663, Switzerland was, as it were, chained to the triumphal chariot of Louis XIV. Under the terms of the treaty, the French government could recruit from 6 to 16 thousand people in Switzerland, but the emissaries of the French king quietly recruited an unlimited number of people for a paltry salary, and the French ambassador distributed recruitment patents without asking local authorities; free detachments (recruited not under a treaty or in excess of a treaty) were completely dependent on the French government and had to serve under its responsibility wherever it indicated to them, which at times led to an unpleasant violation of treaties for Switzerland with those countries with which it was at peace . This was the case, for example, during the struggle between France and Spain for Franche-Comté and especially during its clash with the Dutch, with whom, as co-religionists, the Swiss were very sympathetic; from 1676, a detachment of Swiss were in the service of the Netherlands for 10 years, and subsequently this service became a favorite in Protestant Switzerland.

In addition, many Swiss mercenary units were in the service of the emperor, in Lorraine and Savoy, with the Spanish king, etc. France, during the period of the greatest power of Louis XIV, kept up to 32 thousand Swiss on the payroll (after the Peace of Nimwegen).

XVIII century

The French Revolution by no means destroyed mercenaryism, but only gave it a different direction: service to the Bourbons ceased, but their mercenaries went over to serve partly for the republic, partly for its enemies - in the army of Condé, the Vendeans, and Paoli in Corsica, for whom already in 1768 deserters from the Genoese mercenaries fought. In 1798, France recruited mercenaries into its ranks. Swiss troops, who were in the pay of Piedmont, and in 1808 - two Spanish regiments, while five others were fighting at that time for the independence of Spain.

When Switzerland was transformed into the Helvetic Republic, its military forces were at the disposal of the French government; in 1798 six Helvetian demi-brigades were organized, from which Napoleon formed a regiment; he then formed three more additional regiments, which distinguished themselves in Spain and Russia.

19th century

In 1816, six Swiss regiments were recruited for France, four for the newly organized state of the Netherlands.

The Dutch service closed to the Swiss shortly before the Polish Revolution, the French service as a consequence of this revolution; Neapolitan, on the contrary, from 1825 began to demand more and more people. Since 1832, Pope Gregory XVI recruited his mercenary troops exclusively from the Swiss.

In 1848, Swiss mercenaries in Neapolitan service fought against the revolution; those in papal service first fought against Austria, and then split: one part in 1849 began to fight for the Roman Republic, the other sided with the Austrians who invaded Roman possessions. Free crowds of Swiss mercenaries helped the Venetian Republic (with Manin at its head) fight off the Austrians; some of them fought for the independence of Lombardy.

The new state system of Switzerland put an end to mercenaryism, as a correct and legalized social phenomenon, under the supervision and protection of the government, and left this matter to personal discretion, like any other income. Service in Naples continued until 1859, when the Swiss federal government announced that it considered the agreements of individual cantons regarding the placement of Swiss in military service with various powers to be abolished. A detachment of Swiss mercenaries, however, continued to fight for Francis II until 1861, that is, until the capitulation of Gaeta.

In 1855 there arose foreign legions who fought for France and England. Pius IX, upon his return to the Papal States in 1852, created a military force mainly of the Swiss, strengthening it to a significant size in 1860. In 1870, with the passing of the Papal States into the hands of the Italian king, this last arena of military activity by Swiss mercenaries was closed; only the Vatican guards remain behind them, where they form the so-called Swiss Guard.

Based on extensive research by the Bernese officer in the Neapolitan service, R. von Steiger, 105 recruitments and 623 detachments of Swiss mercenaries are believed to have occurred since 1373; of the 626 senior officers, 266 served in France, 79 in Holland, 55 in Naples, 46 in Piedmont, 42 in Austria, 36 in Spain.

Uniformen Schweizer in niederländischen Diensten.jpg

Uniforms of the Swiss regiments of the Dutch army (1815-1828)

Charles VII, the father of King Louis XI, having freed France from the English thanks to fortune and valor, realized how necessary it was to be armed with his weapons, and ordered the formation of permanent cavalry and infantry. Later, King Louis, his son, disbanded the infantry and began to recruit the Swiss into the service; this mistake was further aggravated by his successors, and now it costs the French kingdom dearly. For, by choosing the Swiss, France undermined the spirit of its army: after the abolition of the infantry, the cavalry attached to the mercenary army no longer hoped to win the battle on its own. So it turns out that the French cannot fight against the Swiss, and without the Swiss they dare not fight against others.

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Literature

// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
Zurlauben, " Histoire militaire des Suisses au service de la France"(Paris, 1751);
May, " Histoire militaire de la Suisse et celle des Suisses dans les différents services de l’Europe"(Lausanne, 1788).

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Swiss mercenary troops

“They made me a proposition about you,” he said, smiling unnaturally. “I think you guessed,” he continued, “that Prince Vasily came here and brought with him his pupil (for some reason Prince Nikolai Andreich called Anatoly his pupil) not for my beautiful eyes.” Yesterday they made a proposition about you. And since you know my rules, I treated you.
– How should I understand you, mon pere? - said the princess, turning pale and blushing.
- How to understand! – the father shouted angrily. “Prince Vasily finds you to his liking for his daughter-in-law and makes a proposal to you for his pupil. Here's how to understand it. How to understand?!... And I’m asking you.
“I don’t know how you are, mon pere,” the princess said in a whisper.
- I? I? what am I doing? Leave me aside. I'm not the one getting married. What do you? This is what it would be good to know.
The princess saw that her father looked at this matter unkindly, but at that very moment the thought came to her that now or never the fate of her life would be decided. She lowered her eyes so as not to see the gaze, under the influence of which she felt that she could not think, but could only obey out of habit, and said:
“I wish only one thing - to fulfill your will,” she said, “but if my desire had to be expressed...
She didn't have time to finish. The prince interrupted her.
“And wonderful,” he shouted. - He will take you with a dowry, and by the way, he will capture m lle Bourienne. She will be the wife, and you...
The prince stopped. He noticed the impression these words made on his daughter. She lowered her head and was about to cry.
“Well, well, just kidding, just kidding,” he said. “Remember one thing, princess: I adhere to the rules that a girl has every right to choose.” And I give you freedom. Remember one thing: the happiness of your life depends on your decision. There's nothing to say about me.
- Yes, I don’t know... mon pere.
- Nothing to say! They tell him, he doesn’t just marry you, whoever you want; and you are free to choose... Go to your room, think it over and in an hour come to me and say in front of him: yes or no. I know you will pray. Well, maybe pray. Just think better. Go. Yes or no, yes or no, yes or no! - he shouted even as the princess, as if in a fog, staggered out of the office.
Her fate was decided and decided happily. But what my father said about m lle Bourienne - this hint was terrible. It’s not true, let’s face it, but it was still terrible, she couldn’t help but think about it. She walked straight ahead through winter Garden, not seeing or hearing anything, when suddenly the familiar whisper of M lle Bourienne woke her up. She raised her eyes and, two steps away, saw Anatole, who was hugging the Frenchwoman and whispering something to her. Anatole with a terrible expression on beautiful face looked back at Princess Marya and did not release m lle Bourienne’s waist in the first second, who could not see her.
"Who is here? For what? Wait!" Anatole’s face seemed to speak. Princess Marya looked at them silently. She couldn't understand it. Finally, M lle Bourienne screamed and ran away, and Anatole bowed to Princess Marya with a cheerful smile, as if inviting her to laugh at this strange case, and, shrugging his shoulders, walked through the door that led to his half.
An hour later Tikhon came to call Princess Marya. He called her to the prince and added that Prince Vasily Sergeich was there. The princess, when Tikhon arrived, was sitting on the sofa in her room and holding the crying Mlla Bourienne in her arms. Princess Marya quietly stroked her head. The beautiful eyes of the princess, with all their former calm and radiance, looked with tender love and regret at the pretty face of m lle Bourienne.
“Non, princesse, je suis perdue pour toujours dans votre coeur, [No, princess, I have forever lost your favor,” said m lle Bourienne.
– Pourquoi? “Je vous aime plus, que jamais,” said Princess Marya, “et je tacherai de faire tout ce qui est en mon pouvoir pour votre bonheur.” [Why? I love you more than ever, and I will try to do everything in my power for your happiness.]
– Mais vous me meprisez, vous si pure, vous ne comprendrez jamais cet egarement de la passion. Ah, ce n "est que ma pauvre mere... [But you are so pure, you despise me; you will never understand this passion of passion. Ah, my poor mother...]
“Je comprends tout, [I understand everything,”] answered Princess Marya, smiling sadly. - Calm down, my friend. “I’ll go to my father,” she said and left.
Prince Vasily, bending his leg high, with a snuffbox in his hands and as if extremely emotional, as if he himself was regretting and laughing at his sensitivity, sat with a smile of tenderness on his face when Princess Marya entered. He hurriedly brought a pinch of tobacco to his nose.
“Ah, ma bonne, ma bonne, [Ah, darling, darling.],” he said, standing up and taking her by both hands. He sighed and added: “Le sort de mon fils est en vos mains.” Decidez, ma bonne, ma chere, ma douee Marieie qui j"ai toujours aimee, comme ma fille. [The fate of my son is in your hands. Decide, my dear, my dear, my meek Marie, whom I have always loved like a daughter. ]
He went out. A real tear appeared in his eyes.
“Fr... fr...” Prince Nikolai Andreich snorted.
- The prince, on behalf of his pupil... son, makes a proposition to you. Do you want or not to be the wife of Prince Anatoly Kuragin? You say yes or no! - he shouted, - and then I reserve the right to say my opinion. Yes, my opinion and only my opinion,” added Prince Nikolai Andreich, turning to Prince Vasily and responding to his pleading expression. - Yes or no?
– My desire, mon pere, is never to leave you, never to separate my life from yours. “I don’t want to get married,” she said decisively, looking with her beautiful eyes at Prince Vasily and her father.
- Nonsense, nonsense! Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense! - Prince Nikolai Andreich shouted, frowning, took his daughter by the hand, bent her to him and did not kiss her, but only bending his forehead to her forehead, he touched her and squeezed the hand he was holding so much that she winced and screamed.
Prince Vasily stood up.
– Ma chere, je vous dirai, que c"est un moment que je n"oublrai jamais, jamais; mais, ma bonne, est ce que vous ne nous donnerez pas un peu d"esperance de toucher ce coeur si bon, si genereux. Dites, que peut etre... L"avenir est si grand. Dites: peut etre. [My dear, I will tell you that I will never forget this moment, but, my dearest, give us at least a small hope of being able to touch this heart, so kind and generous. Say: maybe... The future is so great. Say: maybe.]
- Prince, what I said is everything that is in my heart. I thank you for the honor, but I will never be your son's wife.
- Well, it’s over, my dear. Very glad to see you, very glad to see you. Come to yourself, princess, come,” he said old prince. “I’m very, very glad to see you,” he repeated, hugging Prince Vasily.
“My calling is different,” Princess Marya thought to herself, my calling is to be happy with another happiness, the happiness of love and self-sacrifice. And no matter what it costs me, I will make poor Ame happy. She loves him so passionately. She repents so passionately. I will do everything to arrange her marriage with him. If he is not rich, I will give her money, I will ask my father, I will ask Andrey. I will be so happy when she becomes his wife. She is so unhappy, a stranger, lonely, without help! And my God, how passionately she loves, if she could forget herself like that. Maybe I would have done the same!...” thought Princess Marya.

For a long time the Rostovs had no news of Nikolushka; Only in the middle of winter was a letter given to the count, at the address of which he recognized his son’s hand. Having received the letter, the count, frightened and hasty, trying not to be noticed, ran on tiptoe into his office, locked himself and began to read. Anna Mikhailovna, having learned (as she knew everything that was happening in the house) about the receipt of the letter, quietly walked into the count’s room and found him with the letter in his hands, sobbing and laughing together. Anna Mikhailovna, despite the improvement in her affairs, continued to live with the Rostovs.
- Mon bon ami? – Anna Mikhailovna said inquiringly, sadly and with a readiness for any kind of participation.
The Count began to cry even more. “Nikolushka... letter... wounded... would... be... ma сhere... wounded... my darling... countess... promoted to officer... thank God... How to tell the countess?...”
Anna Mikhailovna sat down next to him, wiped away the tears from his eyes, from the letter they had dripped, and her own tears with her handkerchief, read the letter, reassured the count and decided that before lunch and tea she would prepare the countess, and after tea she would announce everything, if God will help her.
Throughout dinner, Anna Mikhailovna talked about rumors of war, about Nikolushka; I asked twice when it was received last letter from him, although she knew this before, and noticed that it would be very easy, perhaps, to get a letter now. Every time at these hints the countess began to worry and look anxiously, first at the count, then at Anna Mikhailovna, Anna Mikhailovna most imperceptibly reduced the conversation to insignificant subjects. Natasha, of the whole family, most gifted with the ability to sense shades of intonation, glances and facial expressions, from the beginning of dinner her ears pricked up and knew that there was something between her father and Anna Mikhailovna and something concerning her brother, and that Anna Mikhailovna was preparing. Despite all her courage (Natasha knew how sensitive her mother was to everything related to the news about Nikolushka), she did not dare to ask questions at dinner and, out of anxiety, ate nothing at dinner and spun around in her chair, not listening to her governess’s comments. After lunch, she rushed headlong to catch up with Anna Mikhailovna and in the sofa room, with a running start, threw herself on her neck.
- Auntie, my dear, tell me, what is it?
- Nothing, my friend.
- No, darling, darling, honey, peach, I won’t leave you behind, I know you know.
Anna Mikhailovna shook her head.
“Voua etes une fine mouche, mon enfant, [You are a delight, my child.],” she said.
- Is there a letter from Nikolenka? Maybe! – Natasha screamed, reading the affirmative answer in Anna Mikhailovna’s face.
- But for God's sake, be careful: you know how this can affect your maman.
- I will, I will, but tell me. Won't you tell me? Well, I’ll go and tell you now.
Anna Mikhailovna in in short words told Natasha the contents of the letter with the condition not to tell anyone.
Honest, noble word“,” Natasha said, crossing herself, “I won’t tell anyone,” and immediately ran to Sonya.
“Nikolenka... wounded... letter...” she said solemnly and joyfully.
- Nicolas! – Sonya just said, instantly turning pale.
Natasha, seeing the impression made on Sonya by the news of her brother’s wound, felt for the first time the whole sad side of this news.
She rushed to Sonya, hugged her and cried. – A little wounded, but promoted to officer; “He’s healthy now, he writes himself,” she said through tears.
“It’s clear that all of you women are crybabies,” said Petya, decisively big steps walking around the room. “I am so very glad and, truly, very glad that my brother distinguished himself so much.” You are all nurses! you don't understand anything. – Natasha smiled through her tears.
-Have you not read the letter? – Sonya asked.
“I didn’t read it, but she said that everything was over, and that he was already an officer...
“Thank God,” said Sonya, crossing herself. “But maybe she deceived you.” Let's go to maman.
Petya walked silently around the room.
“If I were Nikolushka, I would kill even more of these French,” he said, “they are so vile!” I would beat them so much that they would make a bunch of them,” Petya continued.
- Shut up, Petya, what a fool you are!...
“I’m not a fool, but those who cry over trifles are fools,” said Petya.
– Do you remember him? – after a minute of silence Natasha suddenly asked. Sonya smiled: “Do I remember Nicolas?”
“No, Sonya, do you remember him so well that you remember him well, that you remember everything,” Natasha said with a diligent gesture, apparently wanting to attach the most serious meaning to her words. “And I remember Nikolenka, I remember,” she said. - I don’t remember Boris. I don't remember at all...
- How? Don't remember Boris? – Sonya asked in surprise.
“It’s not that I don’t remember, I know what he’s like, but I don’t remember it as well as Nikolenka.” Him, I close my eyes and remember, but Boris is not there (she closed her eyes), so, no - nothing!
“Ah, Natasha,” said Sonya, looking enthusiastically and seriously at her friend, as if she considered her unworthy to hear what she had to say, and as if she were saying this to someone else with whom one should not joke. “I once fell in love with your brother, and no matter what happens to him, to me, I will never stop loving him throughout my life.”
Natasha looked at Sonya in surprise and with curious eyes and was silent. She felt that what Sonya said was true, that there was such love as Sonya spoke about; but Natasha had never experienced anything like this. She believed it could be, but she didn't understand.
-Will you write to him? – she asked.
Sonya thought about it. The question of how to write to Nicolas and whether to write and how to write was a question that tormented her. Now that he was already an officer and a wounded hero, was it good of her to remind him of herself and, as it were, of the obligation that he had assumed in relation to her.
- Don't know; I think if he writes, I’ll write too,” she said, blushing.
“And you won’t be ashamed to write to him?”
Sonya smiled.
- No.
“And I’ll be ashamed to write to Boris, I won’t write.”
- Why are you ashamed? Yes, I don’t know. Embarrassing, embarrassing.
“And I know why she will be ashamed,” said Petya, offended by Natasha’s first remark, “because she was in love with this fat man with glasses (that’s how Petya called his namesake, the new Count Bezukhy); Now she’s in love with this singer (Petya was talking about the Italian, Natasha’s singing teacher): so she’s ashamed.
“Petya, you’re stupid,” Natasha said.
“No more stupid than you, mother,” said nine-year-old Petya, as if he were an old foreman.
The Countess was prepared by hints from Anna Mikhailovna during dinner. Having gone to her room, she, sitting on an armchair, did not take her eyes off the miniature portrait of her son embedded in the snuffbox, and tears welled up in her eyes. Anna Mikhailovna, with the letter, tiptoed up to the countess's room and stopped.
“Don’t come in,” she said to the old count who was following her, “later,” and closed the door behind her.
The Count put his ear to the lock and began to listen.
At first he heard the sounds of indifferent speeches, then one sound of Anna Mikhailovna’s voice, speaking long speech, then a cry, then silence, then again both voices spoke together with joyful intonations, and then steps, and Anna Mikhailovna opened the door for him. On Anna Mikhailovna’s face was the proud expression of an operator who had completed a difficult amputation and was introducing the audience so that they could appreciate his art.
“C”est fait! [The job is done!],” she said to the count, pointing with a solemn gesture at the countess, who was holding a snuffbox with a portrait in one hand, a letter in the other, and pressed her lips to one or the other.
Seeing the count, she stretched out her arms to him, hugged his bald head and through the bald head again looked at the letter and portrait and again, in order to press them to her lips, she slightly pushed the bald head away. Vera, Natasha, Sonya and Petya entered the room and the reading began. The letter briefly described the campaign and two battles in which Nikolushka participated, promotion to officer, and said that he kisses the hands of maman and papa, asking for their blessing, and kisses Vera, Natasha, Petya. In addition, he bows to Mr. Sheling, and Mr. Shos and the nanny, and, in addition, asks to kiss dear Sonya, whom he still loves and about whom he still remembers. Hearing this, Sonya blushed so that tears came to her eyes. And, unable to withstand the glances directed at her, she ran into the hall, ran up, spun around and, inflating her dress with a balloon, flushed and smiling, sat down on the floor. The Countess was crying.

Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service appeared already in the 14th century, when in 1373 the Visconti army included many mercenaries from different places in Switzerland. As their fame spread, demand for their service began to grow, especially in the 15th century; Already in 1444, at the Battle of St. Jacob, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which the constant goal of French policy was to attract them to the service of France.

Particularly important is the 1474 treaty concluded against Charles the Bold. According to this treaty, the king (Louis XI) undertakes, as long as he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must equally distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king is at war and requires help, to provide him with armed men, so that they receive from him a salary of 4 1/2 guilders a month each and for each trip to the field at least three months' salary and that the mercenaries took advantage of the royal troops. If the negotiating villages call on the king for help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by war, then he pays them a reward of 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.

The Spanish government also began, at the end of the 15th century, to use the service of Swiss mercenaries, mainly in the form of security guards for the Spanish Viceroy in Naples.

The French Revolution by no means destroyed mercenaryism, but only gave it a different direction: service to the Bourbons ceased, but their mercenaries went over to serve partly for the republic, partly for its enemies - in the army of Condé, the Vendeans, and Paoli in Corsica, for whom already in 1768 deserters from the Genoese mercenaries fought. In 1798, France recruited into its ranks mercenary Swiss troops that were in Piedmont's pay, and in 1808, two Spanish regiments, while five others were fighting for Spanish independence at that time.

When Switzerland was transformed into the Helvetic Republic, its military forces were at the disposal of the French government; in 1798, six Helvetian semi-brigades were organized, from which Napoleon formed a regiment; then he formed 3 more additional regiments, which distinguished themselves in Spain and Russia.

In 1816, six Swiss regiments were recruited for France, four for the newly organized state of the Netherlands.

The new state system of Switzerland put an end to mercenaryism, as a correct and legalized social phenomenon, under the supervision and protection of the government, and left this matter to personal discretion, like any other income. Service in Naples continued until 1859, when the Swiss Federal Government announced that it considered the agreements of individual cantons regarding the placement of Swiss in military service with various powers to be abolished. A detachment of Swiss mercenaries, however, continued to fight for Franz II until 1861, that is, until the capitulation of Gaeta.

In 1855, foreign legions arose to fight for France and England. Pius IX, upon his return to the Ecclesiastical Region in 1852, created a military force mainly from the Swiss, strengthening it to a significant size in 1860. In 1870, with the transfer of the Ecclesiastical region into the hands of the Italian king, this last arena of military activity of the Swiss mercenaries was closed; only the Vatican guards remain behind them, where they form the so-called Swiss Guard. Based on detailed research by the Bernese officer in the Neapolitan service, R. von Steiger, since 1373, 105 recruitments and 623 detachments of Swiss mercenaries are considered; of the 626 senior officers, 266 served in France, 79 in Holland, 55 in Naples, 46 in Piedmont, 42 in Austria, 36 in Spain.

Literature

Zurlauben, “Histoire militaire des Suisses au service de la France” (P., 1751); May, “Histoire militaire de la Suisse et celle des Suisses dans les différents services de l’Europe” (Lausanne, 1788).

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Swiss mercenary troops- Swiss soldiers and officers who were hired for military service in the armies of foreign countries in the period from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service appeared already in the 14th century, when in 1373 the Visconti army included many mercenaries from different places in Switzerland. As their fame spread, demand for their services began to grow, especially in the 15th century; Already in 1444, at the Battle of Saint-Jacob, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which the constant goal of French policy was to attract them to the service of France.

The treaty of 1474, concluded against Charles the Bold, is especially important. According to this treaty, King Louis XI undertakes, as long as he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must equally distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king is at war and requires help, to supply him with armed men, so that they receive from him a salary of 4½ guilders a month each and for each trip to the field at least three months' salary and so that the mercenaries enjoy the benefits of the royal troops. If the negotiating villages call on the king for help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by war, then he pays them a reward of 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.

This agreement made it possible for King Charles VIII to use 5,000 Swiss mercenaries in the internecine war with the Duke of Orleans (1488), and during the campaign against Naples to use the services of 20 thousand Swiss, who brought him great benefit during the retreat, especially when crossing the Apennines. In 1495, Charles VIII organized royal court a standing Swiss army consisting of 100 halberdiers, called the "Swiss Hundred" (French: Cent-Suisses). Later, King Henry III included this army into the Royal Military House as an intra-palace guard. Over time, detachments of archers and crossbowmen were added to the Swiss Hundred, which were later replaced by arquebusiers. As weapons and military tactics improved, half of the Swiss Hundred began to consist of pikemen, and the other half - musketeers.

The 17th century began with a series of treaties with France. In 1602, Henry IV made a treaty with all recruiting places except Zurich; The interests of French politics were also served by the Treaty of the Rhaetian villages, directed against Venice (1603). In 1614, Zurich, after Berne had changed its neutrality somewhat earlier, also decided to proceed with the treaty with France, concluded in 1602. In 1616, the young king Louis XIII, who had ascended the throne 6 years earlier, in addition to the Swiss Hundred, ordered the formation of a regiment of Swiss infantry, which received the name “Swiss Guard” (French: Gardes suisses). This regiment was not part of the Royal Military House, but despite this Swiss Guard were assigned the same tasks of performing intra-palace security as the Swiss Hundred.

The French Revolution by no means destroyed mercenaryism, but only gave it a different direction: service to the Bourbons ceased, but their mercenaries went over to serve partly for the republic, partly for its enemies - in the army of Condé, the Vendeans, and Paoli in Corsica, for whom already in 1768 deserters from the Genoese mercenaries fought. In 1798, France recruited Swiss mercenary troops who were in Piedmont's pay, and in 1808, two Spanish regiments, while five others were fighting for Spanish independence at that time.

In 1855, foreign legions emerged to fight for France and England. Pius IX, upon his return to the Papal States in 1852, created a military force mainly of the Swiss, strengthening it to a significant size in 1860. In 1870, this last arena of military activity by Swiss mercenaries was closed; behind them remains only the Vatican security, where they form the so-called Swiss Guard.

Based on extensive research by a Bernese officer in Neapolitan service R. von Steiger, since 1373 there are 105 recruits and 623 detachments of Swiss mercenaries; of the 626 senior officers, 266 served in France, 79 in Holland, 55 in Naples, 46 in Piedmont, 42 in Austria, 36 in Spain.

Charles VII, the father of King Louis XI, having freed France from the English thanks to fortune and valor, realized how necessary it was to be armed with his weapons, and ordered the formation of permanent cavalry and infantry. Later, King Louis, his son, disbanded the infantry and began to recruit the Swiss into the service; this mistake was further aggravated by his successors, and now it costs the French kingdom dearly. For, by choosing the Swiss, France undermined the spirit of its army: after the abolition of the infantry, the cavalry attached to the mercenary army no longer hoped to win the battle on its own. So it turns out that the French cannot fight against the Swiss, and without the Swiss they dare not fight against others.

Swiss mercenaries in the Middle Ages. Swiss mercenary troops

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XIV-XV centuries

16th century

17th century

XVIII century

19th century

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