Free company

As Grandes Compagnies groups of mercenaries are called, during the Hundred Years War, in peacetime or during truces, so permeated after being released by their employer, France, looted or lived by ransom payments. They were commonly referred to as Routiers.

Especially during the reigns of King John II (1350-1364) and Charles V (1364-1380) presented the Grandes Compagnies a huge burden on the population; They consisted of soldiers of foreign nationalities, particularly from the German under British command that the English king Edward III. had dismissed after the peace of Brétigny ( 1360 ). Their activities led to defensive reaction of the population that were at times also successful; On the other hand, there was in meetings with regular troops ( Battle of Brignais 1362 ) quite well to victories of companies.

The Constable Bertrand du Guesclin in 1365 commissioned to lead the companies to Spain to liberate them from France. Here they fought for Henry of Trastamara against his brother Peter the Cruel († 1369 ).

Well-known leader of the Routiers were:

  • Arnaud de Cervole, called l' Archiprêtre ( the High Priest ).
  • Bétucat d' Albret
  • Bernard de la Salle
  • Hugh Calveley
  • Robert Knolles
  • John Creswell

Well-known companies were:

  • The Tard - Venus, after the Treaty of Brétigny ( May 8, 1360 ) demobilized mercenaries who lived under the command of Petit Meschin and Seguin de Badefol especially in Burgundy and Languedoc. 1362 they devastated the county of La Marche des Jacques de Bourbon, who had moved into the field against them (see Battle of Brignais ).
  • The Compagnie blanche, which also formed after the Treaty of Brétigny. She was under the command of John Hawkwood.
  • Later, the Écorcheurs occurred after the Treaty of Arras ( 1435 ) and the end of the civil war of the Armagnacs and Burgundian dismissed mercenaries whose activities in 1445 led to the formation of the French Ordonnanzkompanien, the first standing army that brought some of the mercenaries a long-term commitment.
  • Not only in France came to such mercenary bands. Not French examples are the Catalan Company, which Almogàvers who were in the service of Aragón.
Edward III of England Peter of Castile James I, Count of La Marche Congress of Arras Aragon Roger de Flor
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