I was reading "Dragon", issue 6, which was linked here in another thread. One of the articles talks about Confederacy (Swiss) soldiers in the years 1476 and 1477, just before the Battle of Nancy, which ended the existence of the Dutchy of Burgundy.

I found this quote in the Wiki article:

Quote:

Charles as usual deployed his troops to a precise battle plan despite the short notice he received of the approach of Rene's forces. The infantry companies and dismounted gendarmes formed up in a large square formation with some 30 field guns in front at the top of the slope, while on either flank were mounted knights and coutilliers.

Coutillers are individuals using a cutlass, making them a form of swordsman. I was under the impression that the cutlass was a weapon developed in the 16th century, and that "swordsmen" as a military unit was by large a thing of the past after the fall of Rome and their Legionaries. I assume someone here has more advanced knowledge of the armies of the Swiss Confederacy, especially those mercenaries paid by Rene, Duke of Lorainne, and would know if this is a mistake in the article, or if the Swiss did employ swordsmen in addition to their famous halberders, pikemen, and arquebusiers.

M.

Ah I see what I misinterpreted; it seemed at the time as if they switched from talking about Charles to the Swiss, speaking of his deployment in reaction to the Swiss line, which contained these guys. My fault.

M.

Sirs-It is my understanding that coustellier is medieval slang for non-noble spearman. They originated around 1100 and were originally conscripted foot that carried a spear and a very heavy dagger, nearly the size of a small riding sword called a coustelle. Mr Oakshott has then in hie "Archaeology of Weapons" and if I remember right, George Cameron Stone has them in his "Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armour"