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Swords for Hire: European Mercenaries in Eighteenth-Century India.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 4, 2016
Colonial India has a very interesting side to it with the colourful role European mercenary officers played, and Brigadier Bidwell has given a lively account of it. At first the various East India Companies of England, France, Holland & Denmark came as traders & were then allowed to open factories. As the Mughal empire crumbled, to protect their turf, they started ruling areas neighboring the factories. From dotting the sub-continent, they became bigger and bigger rulers, and of course also fought between themselves, most famously the English & the French.
These companies employed officers from back home, who drilled and led “native” soldiers and with very small forces were able to rout the much larger armies of Indian rulers. These officers (mostly) of course remained in their country’s employ, but at this time there were also a band of adventurers & fortune hunters who came from Europe and ended up as mercenary soldiers for hire to Indian rulers. The rulers had decided to take a leaf out of the Company’s book and hired these mercenaries to form, train & lead their armies.
They came mainly from England, Ireland, Scotland, France & Italy, from varied backgrounds ranging from the peasantry to the nobility, and different motives – some to lead, some to rule, some to make money.
It worked admirably as you will see, till the political situation changed. While one Indian fought another, the European mercenaries were happy to serve their masters. But once they had to fight their compatriots in the Company’s armies, especially the British, refused to do so.
Those who stand out in the book (both the adventurer’s and their patrons) are the French De Boigne, his Patron Madhaji Scindia, De Boigne’s successor “Jehazi Sahib” George Thomas from Ireland, “General” Perron from Italy & the indefatigable Begum Sumroo.
These companies employed officers from back home, who drilled and led “native” soldiers and with very small forces were able to rout the much larger armies of Indian rulers. These officers (mostly) of course remained in their country’s employ, but at this time there were also a band of adventurers & fortune hunters who came from Europe and ended up as mercenary soldiers for hire to Indian rulers. The rulers had decided to take a leaf out of the Company’s book and hired these mercenaries to form, train & lead their armies.
They came mainly from England, Ireland, Scotland, France & Italy, from varied backgrounds ranging from the peasantry to the nobility, and different motives – some to lead, some to rule, some to make money.
It worked admirably as you will see, till the political situation changed. While one Indian fought another, the European mercenaries were happy to serve their masters. But once they had to fight their compatriots in the Company’s armies, especially the British, refused to do so.
Those who stand out in the book (both the adventurer’s and their patrons) are the French De Boigne, his Patron Madhaji Scindia, De Boigne’s successor “Jehazi Sahib” George Thomas from Ireland, “General” Perron from Italy & the indefatigable Begum Sumroo.
August 27, 2011
A decent account of the role of European mercenaries in India during the mid to late 1800's. We read of people such as De Boigne, Perron, George Thomas and many more who changed the face of warfare in India up until the defeat of the Brigades at the hands of General Lake and Arthur Wellesley in 1803 at the battle of Assaye.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews