Free Lances

Free-Lances or Free Companies were bodies of knights and men-at-arms who roved about Europe in the Middle Ages offering their services to the highest bidder. Among the more famous of these bands were the Austrian Landsltnechtc, who were originally raised in 1187, and continued to play a leading part in all the wars of the next two centuries; the Swiss mercenaries, who were found in every country and service; and the Condottieri of Italy.