Black Band (landsknechts)

:"This article is about the Landsknecht mercenary regiment; for the Italian mercenary company, see Black Bands".

The Black Band was a formation of 16th century mercenaries, largely pikemen, probably serving as Landsknechts. They fought in the French army for ten years, seeing service in several notable engagements, including the Battle of Marignano and the Battle of Pavia. They also were the main cause for the beginning of a rebellion of the Frisians from 1515 to 1523 against the Holy Roman Empire.

Origin

Some uncertainty exists concerning the origin of the Black Band. They are often described as “Landsknechts” and as “renegades” who refused to return to the Empire when recalled by the emperor Maximilian I, which suggests they were in fact German. However, they are also described at times as “Hollanders” and as being raised in Guelders, which at this time was ruled by Charles of Egmond, who was generally at odds with the Empire.

What is known is that the Black Band was raised by King Francis I of France in 1515 in order to replace the Swiss mercenary pikemen who traditionally formed the core of the French infantry force but were at that time allied with the enemies of France.

Organization and Leadership

The Black Band was initially 17,000 men strong, composed of 12,000 pikemen, 2,000 arquebusiers, 2,000 two-handed swordsmen, and 1,000 halberdiers. Its captain was Georg Langenmantel, but was also placed under the command of a French officer, such as at Pavia, when it was led by Francois de Lorraine. By the time of the Battle of Pavia, they are described by Delbrück as 5,000 strong, by Konstam as 4,000 strong.

Campaigns

The Black Band marched into Italy in 1515 in time to fight alongside King Francis I at the Battle of Marignano, where, defending the ditch and supported by artillery, they were nonetheless recoiled by the attacking Swiss, but were eventually relieved by the charge of the French "gendarme" heavy cavalry into the flank of the Swiss attack column.In the same year, the Black Band sacked the village of Pier Gerlofs Donia, killing his kinsfolk and burning down his farm at Donia estate, Kimswerd. Donia then formed an army, the Arumer Black Heap together with his nephew Wijard Jelckama and threw the landsknechts out.

Ten years later they reappear as the lead French infantry square at the Battle of Pavia, where they were heavily outnumbered by the 12,000 Imperial Landsknechts opposing them, led by the Landsknecht commander Georg von Frundsberg. Struck in both flanks -- “seize [d] … as if with tongs” -- and hacked to pieces, the unit ceased to exist.

Sources

* Cuneo, Pia F. "Art and Politics in Early Modern Germany: Jorg Breu the Elder and the Fashioning of Political Identity – CA 1475-1536", pp. 136-137. Leiden: Koninkliijke Brill NV, 1998.

* Delbrück, Hans. "History of the Art of War", pp. 10, 92-93. Originally published in 1920; University of Nebraska Press (reprint), 1990 (trans. J. Renfroe Walter). Volume IV: "The Origins of Modern Warfare".

*Knecht, R. J. "Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I", p. 70. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.

* Konstam, Angus. "Pavia 1525: The Climax of the Italian Wars", pp. 65-73. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1996.

* Oman, Charles. "A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century". London: Methuen & Co., 1937.

* Wilson, John. "The History of Switzerland, pp. 194-195". London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman, 1832 (reprint 2005 Adamant Media Corporation).