The Swiss–A Fighting Force Terrible to Behold
Give me a line of men with halberds *swoon*
Occasionally I read an article somewhere that I just HAVE to share with you all. Today’s treat comes from The Daily Beast of all places, and it’s topic is the Swiss mercenaries of the 14th to 16th centuries.
If you’ve been to Rome and visited Vatican City, you’ve seen the descendants of these bad boys. Because as the article says:
the Popes hired the very best, the most lethal, the most dedicated mercenaries available. Starting in the late 15th Century under Pope Sixtus IV that was…the Swiss.
I can tell you that the French kings liked to be surrounded by halberds too! “The Swiss” make multiple appearances in “Médicis Daughter”–most notably during the flight from Montceaux to Paris after a Protestant plot to kidnap King Charles IX is uncovered. 
THIS article, When Swiss Used to Mean Badass, is a GREAT simple, dirty, accurate piece discussing the warfare style of the Swiss “phalanx” who “working together, en masse. . .could make a fighting force that would slaughter all who stood before it.” ENJOY!!! And next time you are in Vatican City do NOT laugh at my Swiss 😉