22. FOREIGN TROOPS

Herewith a few jottings on foreign troops that readers might like to add to:

1) MERCUR1US AULICUS [TT E14/247] the Parliamentarian forces in Dorset contained "Swedes, Germans, Danes, French, Walloons and Scotts"

2) MERCURIUS AULICUS [Jan. 5 1644/5)- Walloon troops in Parliaments service- The Captain of the ship GEORGE BONAVENTURE was a Turkish Pirate)!!)

3) MERCURIUS AULICUS [TT E10] The Earl of Stamford recruited Turkish Pirates from Exeter Prison (an account of the Siege of Gloucester, where Stamford's regiment formed part the garrison, speaks of a Royalist officer being frightened when a huge 'blackamoor' sprang up in front of him) The 'Turks' were probably Moroccan pirates, Morocco then being in theory part of the Turkish Empire.

4) The well known 'hard man' (bullet proof) Captain Carlo Fantom in Aubrey'5 BRIEF LIVES, (now hero of historical fiction)

5) The Queen's regiment of horse seems to have had a large percentage of French troops.

6) Phi Hip's CIVIL WAR IN WALES AND THE MARCHES mentions a regiment of Lorrsiners in Anglesey towards the end of the War. 7) A Dutch unit attached to the Parliamentarian Commissariat caused trouble in the South West Midlands looting. None were able to speak English.

NB Montrose had Danes in his last army. The ROYALIST ORDNANCE PAPERS mention senior mercenary officers from a variety of countries.

Stuart Peachey

Other Notes

21. 1639 Snippets
22. Foreign Troops

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