The Scottish Soldiers of Fortune: Mercenaries in Foreign Service from the 14th to 19th Centuries

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. T...