Swiss Infantry. Kanton Bern, 15th 1/72 Scale Plastic Model Kit Ultima Ratio 7208

Swiss mercenary troops - Swiss mercenary soldiers and officers who were hired for military and security service in the armies of foreign states, from the 14th to the 19th centuries.
Swiss mercenary troops in foreign service appeared already in the 14th century, when in 1373 the Visconti army included many mercenaries from different parts of Switzerland. With the spread of their fame, the demand for their service began to grow, especially in the 15th century; already in 1444, at the battle of St. Jacob, Charles VII recognized the desperate courage of these mercenaries, as a result of which it became a constant goal of French policy to attract them to the service of France.
Swiss mercenaries served in 1465 in the army of the enemies of Louis XI at Montlhery, in 1462 - the Rhenish Count Palatinate Frederick I at Seckenheim.
The Black Army (1459-1490) of the Hungarian king Matthias Korvin also contained Swiss pike detachments, which were highly respected by the king.
Real treaties began to be concluded between the Swiss mercenaries and France (the first such treaty was concluded by Charles VII in 1452-1453), which were repeatedly renewed. The treaty of 1474, concluded against Charles the Bold, is especially important. Under this agreement, King Louis XI undertakes, while he lives, to pay annually 20,000 francs to the contracting villages, which must evenly distribute this money among themselves; for this they are obliged, if the king wages war and requires help, to deliver armed men to him, so that they receive from him a salary of 4½ guilders a month each and for each entry into the field at least three months' salary and that the mercenaries enjoy the advantages of royal troops. If, however, the contracting villages call on the king to help against Burgundy, and he is delayed by the war, then he pays them 20,000 Rhine guilders every quarter of the year, not counting the annual payments already mentioned.