The First Free Company in History (Catalan Grand Company)

This is the story of how a band of Catalan outlaws who lived on the frontier between the Muslim and Spanish kingdoms became some of the most sought-after mercenaries in history, defeating the Ottomans, the Byzantine Empire, and finally becoming the masters of Athens. Called the Grand Catalan Company, they were arguably one of the first—or even the first—mercenary companies in history. They usually hired themselves out to the highest bidder but only as long as they got paid. Many an emperor or duke who hired the Catalan Company learned this the hard way.

Some must read mlitary history books:

Bibliography :
Abulafia, D., Frederick II. A Medieval Emperor, 1988.
Ávila, J.A.A., Muntaner and the battle of the knights of death, Mediterranea: Ricerche Storiche, 2017, no. 14. 499-542.
DeVries, K., Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century. Discipline, Tactics, and Technology (Warfare in History vol. 2) ,1996.
Fancy, H., The Mercenary Mediterranean: Sovereignty, Religion, and Violence in the Medieval Crown of Aragon, 2016.
Jacoby, D.: The Catalan Company in the East: The Evolution of an Itinerant Army (1303–1311), in: Gregory I. Halfond (eds.): The Medieval Way of War. Studies in Medieval Military History in Honor of Bernard S. Bachrach, Routledge, 2014, S. 153–182.
Lendering, J., Causes of the War of the Sicilian Vespers. Pope against king, in: Medieval Warfare (2016), vol. 6., No. 2, p. 6-9.
Paul D. H., „Of Arms and Men “: Siege and Battle Tactics in the Catalan Grand Chronicles (1208–1387). In: Military Affairs 49 (1985), S. 173–178.
Pergalias, V., The Catalan Company in the East, in: Medieval Warfare 2001, vol. 1, no 2, pp. 28-55.
Setton, Kenneth M.; in: Hazard, Harry W. (eds): A History of the Crusades, Volume III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, 1975.
Setton, K. M., Catalan Domination of Athens, 1311–1388, 1975.

#history #documentary #education

[SandRhomanHistory]

The „first mercenary company“ means the first „Free Company“ which is a medieval phenomenon. Obviously, it does NOT mean „first mercenaries in history“ (which is an upcoming video that we‘ve already written and for which we’ve interviewed a historian specializing in defining types of military services.)
This video was requested by our Patreons.

[skampisti]

In Albania, an oger or a humanoid big ruthless monste is called "katallani." they were so ruthless that they inbeded themselfe in our myths and legends...

[julioprado]

The Almogavars are one of the most interesting military units in history. They were equipped as light infantry but they had the skills and the courage to confront and defeat all kinds of military units, including the most feared knights of the time. They fought large armies in open battle and conducted sieges, always successfully. The book from Muntaner is a fascinating account of their adventures.

[LuisAldamiz]

This is an excellent documentary, surely the best one you can find online on the Almogavars, however I miss a key epic "detail": the siege of Gallipoli, in which some 500 Catalans defeated the whole Byzantine Army (around 40, 000, many of them cataphracts/knights) in the most amazing sally ever. You also went over Apros very casually, when it was also a battle in which the Almogavars were in clear numerical disadvantage (even if not as extreme as in Gallipoli).

Now Patreons should request the Navarrese Company, a somewhat similar development some decades later, in which the Angevine wife of Prince Louis of Navarre, brother of Charles the Bad, claimed Durrës and much of Albania in the midst of Catholic-Orthodox conflicts in that country. They won but the princess died soon after and they moved on as rogue mercenaries to Greece, where they defeated the Catalan Company for good at Thebes. Pro-tip: unlike the rag-tag Almogavars, the Navarrese were pike and engineer heavy, and I've read that they even had a Gascon unit of horse archers, a very unusual type of arm in Western Europe that has me extremely intrigued.

In any case, treat your mercenaries well, else...

[Pigraider]

That's unreal xd I started my Thesis about Grand Company last week and was looking for some good reliable sources on the topic. You a Godsent :D

[CHex.]

Many people in the comments fail to understand a "mercenary company" is a very specific term. It doesn't mean any kind of mercenary band or army.

[Nicro-zv]

Fun fact: because the pillaging of greece the catalans were forbidden to enter mount athos until the 2000s

[rebel_drop_troop]

I see so many people commenting that he’s dumb and there are mercenaries before him. He’s talking about the first literal business company that someone started as mercenaries as a business. Read the title use your brain.

[seedo]

Very interesting piece of history. Interesting fact: Almogavars coming from the arabic word ( almaghaweer: المغاوير) which means the adventurers

[vicentcampsvilallonga]

Fantastic video, very clearing and interesting. People hard for hart times.

[deep_boy]

Medieval mercenary companies were the original gig workers—except instead of food deliveries, they delivered swords and shields... to whoever paid the most!

[FutureMythology]

I'm continually impressed by the breadth and depth of knowledge in these history videos.

[skin]

I love it how you shown the iner boarders of Hungary as a Croatian that made me VERY happy.

[Ronnie.rocket.]

Just discovered this channel, the feeling is like a miner founding gold, you know. I'm a history student and (i hope you guys hear this a lot) you explain history far better than my teachers hahahaha

[kemita]

Impressive. This video was a truly enjoyable snippet of history. Thank you.

[Gentlemax]

I love seeing that theres interest on history from catalunya, aragon and valencia.
Also showing the good and the bad equaly.

[SB-qmwg]

The flint at night trick is pretty cool.

[Lapsontheboy]

underatted channel that's for sure...

[raia.a]

thank you for keeping alive the memory of the Great Catalan Company. Spanish/castillian envious people can keep coping, seething and dilating in the comments.

[sirjabal]

Roger von Blume!! European history indeed. German in Italy to Spain to Greece etc etc. When travels were slow and dangerous. What a man.