Bavarian Landsknechts: German mercenaries in the service of the Spanish Empire

Landsknechts: the German mercenaries who fought for imperial Spain

Every three years, the Bavarian town of Mindelheim holds the Frundsbergfest, a historical festival that recreates the life of the antiestéticared Landsknechts, the German mercenaries who fought in the ranks of the Spanish Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries. The festival pays tribute to Georg von Frundsberg, the knight who led these troops for the Spanish crown.

The etymology of the term reveals its origin: "lansquenet" comes from the German "Landsknecht", meaning "servant of the land" (Land = land, Knecht = servant, equivalent to the English knight). Although in Dutch the word "knecht" is used to refer to assistants or lackeys, in the medieval Germanic context it designated a foot soldier, not a noble knight. This linguistic difference has caused confusion among military history enthusiasts.

The reenactment includes typical clothing, weaponry and formations. Participants carry pikes and halberds, and the emblematic Burgundy cross, the symbol of the Spanish armies, is never missing. Some commentators joke about the idea of seeing these mercenaries marching on the Moncloa —the seat of the Spanish government— with incendiary devices, a notion that mixes history and political satire.

But beyond the jokes, the curious fact is that these German soldiers were hired because their cost was lower than that of the Swedes or other nationalities, according to enthusiasts. War was a business, and the Landsknechts were just another product in the market of Renaissance violence.