The Mercenary Armies That Ravaged Europe Alongside The Plague
These armies of bandits and brigands created a headache
The 14th and 15th centuries were bad times for Europe. In addition to the Black Death, which killed up to 50% of people in certain areas, the countryside was ravaged by roaming bands of mercenaries and brigands, which made life hell for those who managed to survive the plague.
These mercenary armies, known as Free Companies, had enduring names like the Catalan Company, the White Company, and the Company of the Rose. On their face, these armies ran themselves like legitimate companies. They would take contracts, dish out wages, and split the loot among themselves and their investors. But as order broke down in Europe many of these mercenary groups devolved into nothing more than large groups of bandits.
The plague caused a pause in the Hundred Years’ War. With death stalking the land, England and France decided to put their quarrel on hold for the time being and work to deal with the aftermath of the Black Death instead. With the signing of a truce in 1360, thousands of former soldiers were left unemployed. Instead of going home and working the land (and risking dying of the disease), many of these soldiers banded together and decided to terrorize the countryside.
