Swiss Mercenary, 1470

During the Renaissance, the territories that form the nation we know today as Germany were scattered kingdoms, principalities and state-cities in an ever changing landscape that also involved territories of the neighboring nations of France, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Hungary, and the Lower Countries among others.

The Old Swiss Confederacy that was formed in the XIV century in the central valleys of the Alps started to gain more and more predominance during the following century due to the incorporation of new territories and cities like Zurich or Berne and the development of trading. This heterogeneous group of both rural and urban communities depended on the Habsburg emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the defining moments for the Swiss were the Burgundian wars of 1470s. These wars meant the separation of Burgundy territories and a further expansion for the Swiss but also gained them a fearsome reputation in combat. From that moment onwards, Swiss mercenaries would be a common sight in the battlefields of Central Europe.

Our bust depicts an armored man-at-arms of the period, equipped with Gothic style cuirass and a typically German influenced sallet helmet with raised visor. The style of the armor is quite usual through all Europe in that period, from the Baltic States to the last stages of the Spanish Reconquista, so it can be used to depict any other subjects. Includes an alternative bare head for further personalization.