The Swiss lancers were one of the most feared infantrymen of the Middle Ages. Despite being a small force with little armament, the soldiers defeated their opponents with speed and intelligence. They were revered and revered throughout Europe, and they brought war back into the lives of their people.
Living outside the rule of the nobility
The origins of the Swiss Lancers date back to the 14th century, when Switzerland split off from the Holy Roman Empire. The cantons proclaimed the Swiss Confederation, and everyone was free to live outside the rule of the Supreme Leader. At the time, they were the only European enclaves to have this distinction.
The split angered Duke Leopold I of Austria. In 1315, he sent Habsburg troops into Switzerland, forcing the cantons to return to the empire. He saw it as an easy victory because the Swiss were peasants and didn't have much armor and weapons. However, he was dead wrong.
On 15 November 1315, peasants from Schwitz, Uri, and Unterwalden attacked Leopold's army with spears. This tactic compensated for the lack of their defense. Their victory cemented the position of the three cantons and formed the nucleus of the Swiss Confederation.
The attack, known as the Battle of Morgan, is thought to have changed the way warfare was fought in the Middle Ages. This also allowed the Swiss to become known as the fiercest warriors in Europe.
Battle of Abedo
Throughout the 14th century, the Swiss used spears alongside other weapons, including the Battle of Sempach in July 1386 with Duke Leopold III of Austria. However, it was not until the Battle of Abedo with the Milanese in 1422 that they chose to use spears as weapons.
The number of Swiss is five to one. After several attacks, the Milanese dismounted, took them like spears, and rushed toward the Swiss troops that formed a defensive circle. The spear was more powerful than the halberd used by the Swiss, a victory for the Duchy of Milan.
After the battle, it was decided that the battle flag would be guarded by the spearmen and any enemy troops who broke through the spear infantry would be dispatched. The entire formation starts with the striker, followed by the main force and the defender.
Swiss Lancers
The force is about 8,000 people. The columns in the phalanx were centered by spearmen, with halberds and two-handed swordmen in the center. This force was covered by crossbowmen and pistolmen, and their dual task was to disperse the enemy's artillery and protect the enemy from attack.
These formations supported the entire infantry in case one column fell under enemy fire. If they need to stop for any reason, the pillars quickly turn into hedgehog formations, forming a compact phalanx before rushing forward.
If the enemy does not back down, the lancers will attack and break their defenses. It is an impenetrable wall that no one can overcome, similar to the heavy infantry shield of ancient Greece. They will use swords and daggers to defeat opponents and win battles.
Succeed in battle
The key to the Swiss's victory is to keep moving forward, no matter what they encounter along the way. This approach allowed them to achieve many victories. They won two victories against the Burgundians and several victories against the Holy Roman Empire. Most notably the aforementioned Battle of Sempach, which led to the signing of a 50-year peace treaty between the Habsburgs and the Swiss Confederation.
In August 1444, the Habsburgs again tried to maintain their dominance. The Emperor allied with King Louis XI of France, who sent 30,000 men into Switzerland. The army encountered a force of 1200 to 1600 spearmen. Although Louis won the battle, he cancelled the invasion, withdrew to France, and allied himself with the Confederacy.
The Swiss lancers attacked in a brutal and ruthless manner. While much of their success is due to this, it is also the result of their use of the land. Swiss generals would use their knowledge of the terrain to enable them to surprise the enemy. This usually means rolling boulders down the hill in a surprise attack before charging on foot.
Swiss mercenaries joined the European army
Soon, news of the Swiss lancers spread throughout Europe. Most rulers chose to hire them as mercenaries rather than fight them. This was especially popular in Italy and France in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The composition of the Swiss mercenary forces is different from that of the cantonal mercenary forces. They usually choose to form two columns instead of three columns for the state. They also stood shoulder to shoulder, forming the center of the infantry they served.
Although most Swiss mercenaries were lancers, the term lancers was used generically to refer to the army. It refers to the use of a wide variety of weapons by the Swiss Army, including crossbows, pistols and other artillery weapons, although these weapons are far less used than spears and halberds.
The involvement of mercenaries led to numerous victories, including the French conquest of Naples in 1494 and the Conquest of Milan by the French in 1525. Their lack of mercy on the battlefield frightened their opponents so much that the King of Valois of France decided that he could not have entered the war without the Swiss lancers as the core of the army.
German mercenary infantry
After 1490, European countries began to adopt similar combat systems. Imitations sprung up across the continent, most notably the Spanish infantry phalanx and the more terrifying German mercenary infantry.
German mercenary infantry became the main enemy of the Swiss lancers, and they began to fill the mercenary corps they once had. They also carefully studied the lancers' combat tactics to surpass the lancers with their two-handed swords (a two-handed sword used to break through enemy spear formations).
The pair's rivalry is particularly evident on the battlefield. Although the lancers managed to maintain their superiority over their opponents, the battles between the two were often described as particularly barbaric, especially during the Italian Wars of 1494-1559.
The end of the Swiss mercenary army
The Swiss lancers were repeatedly defeated in the Italian wars. In 1515 they suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Marignano, and the Battle of Bicocca in 1522 was their greatest defeat. The Swiss lancers served the French, fighting against the armies of the Spanish infantry phalanx and the German mercenary infantry.
The battle led to bloodshed. The Swiss repeatedly tried to break through the other side's defensive positions without the use of artillery or military support, but all failed, leading to a massacre of enemy weapons and artillery. This is the first time they have suffered such a huge loss without causing significant damage.
The introduction of gunpowder was a nail in the coffin of the Swiss lancer. After the 16th century, they adopted tactics and formations similar to those of mercenaries throughout Europe. This means taking a normal position on the front of other infantry units, rather than their usual position.
During this period, their best performance was to fight alongside the French army. During the French Wars of Religion, they were commissioned by the monarch to serve. At the Battle of Tru in 1562, they showed extraordinary bravery. In this battle, a group of Swiss spearmen blocked the Huguenot army until the Catholic cavalry arrived.
Later years and exist in modern times
During the 17th and 19th centuries, Swiss soldiers continued to serve as mercenaries in some European armies. However, they have had to deal with changes in exercises, weapons and tactics.
Since 1859, only one organization of lancers mercenaries has been allowed to exist, and that is the Swiss Guard of the Vatican. For the past five centuries, this force has been tasked with protecting the pope, representing the Vatican's official army. They wore colorful uniforms, which are believed to have been designed by Michelangelo and inspired by their heyday in the Middle Ages.