Auxiliary Forces

The Walls of Florence

“Charles VII , the father of King Louis XI , having by good fortune and valor liberated France from the English, recognized the necessity of being armed with forces of his own, and he established in his kingdom ordinances concerning men-at-arms and infantry. Afterwards his son, King Louis, abolished the infantry and began to enlist the Swiss, which mistake, followed by others, is, as is now seen, a source of peril to that kingdom; because, having raised the reputation of the Swiss, he has entirely diminished the value of his own arms, for he has destroyed the infantry altogether; and his men-at-arms [heavy cavalrymen]he has subordinated to others, for, being as they are so accustomed to fight along with Swiss, it does not appear that they can now conquer without them. Hence it arises that the French cannot stand against the Swiss, and without the Swiss they do not come off well against others. The armies of the French have thus become mixed, partly mercenary and partly national, both of which arms together are much better than mercenaries alone or auxiliaries alone, yet much inferior to one’s own forces.”

Source:  Niccolò Machiavelli (W.K. Marriott, translator), The Prince,Chapter XII.