From Foreign Mercenaries to the King’s Trusted Companions—The Emergence of the Swedish–Scottish Recruitment Network 1556–1610

Abstract

The second half of the sixteenth century was a period of intermittent war for the fledgling Swedish empire. Intensive and protracted fighting on multiple fronts stimulated a steady growth in the size of the military establishment. At the same time, the rapidly developing art of war and Sweden's shift from local defence to overseas wars of conquest placed new requirements for the expertise and motivation of both officers and soldiers. As a result of these developments and in imitation of foreign precedents, the Vasa kings became increasingly dependent on foreign professional soldiers to augment domestic forces.

One of the most significant groups of military migrants were Scots who, thanks to both push and pull factors, rapidly became a staple of Swedish armies. A complex social network between the Swedish crown and Scottish military enterpreneurs formed, which became the engine for ongoing Swedish–Scottish military collaboration. By utilizing these connections, the Swedish crown was able to create a cluster of tried and tested officers to whom recruitment could be outsourced. For the Scots themselves, this network quickly became a means to gain information and experience and to find employment with the Swedish kings.

This chapter traces the creation, extension and sustenance of this long-standing Swedish–Scottish network from 1556 to 1610. We look at how key individuals were retained in service and integrated with the Swedish state and society, and why others were abandoned. Finally, we look at the turmoil caused by the dynastic struggles of the 1590s and show how the existing network nonetheless survived to the following century.