Liivimaa mõisamehed liivi sõja perioodil
Livonian Household Troops During The Livonian War

Summary/Abstract: There has been a very strong historiographic tradition, one that started with the chronicler Balthasar Russow, to depict the Livonian household troops (Hofleute), such as they were at the time of the Livonian War, as unscrupulous adventurers, mercenary fortune-seekers and renegades, even though in principle these men (speaking, in the first place, about the leaders and core troops, not necessarily the majority of rank-and-file) represented the Livonian landed gentry and, to a lesser extent, retired Order knights and their squires, essentially forming the militia of the local nobility. The landed gentry was the one social class that had the most to lose through the events of the period, which presumably prompted them to demonstrate a high degree of responsibility in their actions and behaviour . after all, it was in their interests to maintain order and stability. So, how legitimate are the oft-reiterated accusations against the household troops? What was the specific composition of their units? Who were their commanders? What were their goals ?

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