Free company
Encyclopedia
A free company or free lance (sometimes called a great company) was a late medieval
army of mercenaries acting independently of any government, and thus "free". They were not called "free" because their services were gratis
, rather they sold their services to the highest bidder. They regularly made a living by plunder when they were not employed; in France they were the routiers
and écorcheurs
, the scorchers of crops and villages, who operated outside the highly-structured law of arms. The term "free company" is most applied to those companies of soldiers which formed after the Peace of Brétigny during the Hundred Years' War
and were active mainly in France, but it has been applied to other companies, such as the Catalan Grand Company and companies that worked abroad, in Italy and the Holy Roman Empire
. The free companies, or companies of adventure, have been cited as a factor as strong as plague
or famine in the reduction of Siena
from a glorious rival of Florence to a second-rate power during the later fourteenth century; Siena spent 291,379 florins between 1342 and 1399 buying off the free companies. The White Company
of John Hawkwood
, probably the most famous free company, active in Italy in the latter half of the fourteenth century, was the worst offender among those that preyed upon Sienese factions.
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
army of mercenaries acting independently of any government, and thus "free". They were not called "free" because their services were gratis
Gratis
Gratis is the process of providing goods or services without compensation. It is often referred to in English as "free of charge" or "complimentary"...
, rather they sold their services to the highest bidder. They regularly made a living by plunder when they were not employed; in France they were the routiers
Routiers
The routiers were mercenaries associated with free companies who terrorized the French countryside during the Hundred Years War. The word routier is French for "road-man", referring to their travelling nature. -Background:Routiers were a product of their time...
and écorcheurs
Ecorcheurs
The écorcheurs were armed bands who desolated France in the reign of Charles VII, stripping their victims of everything, often to their very clothes....
, the scorchers of crops and villages, who operated outside the highly-structured law of arms. The term "free company" is most applied to those companies of soldiers which formed after the Peace of Brétigny during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
and were active mainly in France, but it has been applied to other companies, such as the Catalan Grand Company and companies that worked abroad, in Italy and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. The free companies, or companies of adventure, have been cited as a factor as strong as plague
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
or famine in the reduction of Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
from a glorious rival of Florence to a second-rate power during the later fourteenth century; Siena spent 291,379 florins between 1342 and 1399 buying off the free companies. The White Company
White Company
The White Company was a 14th Century Italian mercenary Company of Adventure , led from its arrival in Italy in 1361 to 1365 by the German Albert Sterz and later by the Englishman John Hawkwood...
of John Hawkwood
John Hawkwood
Sir John Hawkwood was an English mercenary or condottiero who was active in 14th century Italy. The French chronicler Jean Froissart knew him as Jean Haccoude and Italians as Giovanni Acuto...
, probably the most famous free company, active in Italy in the latter half of the fourteenth century, was the worst offender among those that preyed upon Sienese factions.