Stratioti

Stratioti
Stradioti

French painting of c. 1500 depicting stradioti of the Venetian Army at the Battle of Fornovo Active Type Role 15th to 18th centuries Mercenary unit Light cavalry

[1]

The Stratioti or Stradioti (Italian: Stradioti or Stradiotti; Greek: , Stratiotes; were mercenary units from the Balkans recruited mainly by states of southern and central Europe from the 15th until the middle of the 18th century.[2]

Name
The Greek term stratiotis/-ai (/-) was in use since classical antiquity with the sense of "soldier" (e.g. Herodotus 4,134, Xenophon, Cyrus An. 7, ch. 1, 4 etc.)[3] The same word was used continuously in the Roman and Byzantine period. The Italian term stradioti could therefore be a loan from the Greek word stratiotai (Greek: ), i.e. soldiers[4] Alternatively, it derives from the Italian word strada ('street'), meaning 'wayfarer'.[5] The Albanian stradioti of Venice were also called capelletti (sing. capelletto) because of the small red caps they wore.[6]

History
The stradioti were recruited in Albania, Greece, Dalmatia, Serbia and later Cyprus.[7][8][9][10] Most modern historians have indicated that the Stratioti were mostly Albanians.[5] According to a study by a Greek author, around 80% of the listed names attributed to the stradioti were of Albanian origin while most of the remaining ones, especially those of officers, were of Greek origin; a small minority were of South Slavic origin.[5] Among their leaders there were also members of some old Byzantine Greek noble families such as the Palaiologi and Comneni.[5][11] On various medieval sources Stradioti are mentioned either as Greeks or Albanians. This mainly happened because the bulk of stradioti rank and file were of Albanian origin from regions of Greece, but by the middle of the 16th century there is evidence that many of them had been Hellenized and in some occasions even Italianized. Hellenization was possibly underway prior to service abroad, since stradioti of Albanian origin had settled in Greek lands for two generations before their emigration to Italy. Moreover, since many served under Greek commanders and together with the Greek stradioti, this process continued. Another factor in this assimilative process was the stradioti's and their families' active involvement and affiliation with the Greek Orthodox or Uniate Church communities in the places they lived in Italy.[5]

Stratioti

Stratioti in European countries

Italy The Venetians first used stratioti in their campaigns against the Ottomans and, from c. 1475, as frontier troops in Friuli. Starting from that period, they began to almost entirely replace the Venetian light cavalry in the army of the Republic of Venice. Apart from the Albanian stradioti, Greek and Italian ones were also deployed in the Battle of Fornovo.[12] The mercenaries were recruited from the Balkans, mainly Christians but also some Muslims.[13] In 1511, a group of stradioti petitioned for the construction of the Greek community's Eastern Catholic Church in Venice, the San Giorgio dei Greci,[14] and the Scuola dei Greci (Confraternity of the Greeks), in a neighborhood where a Greek community still resides.[15] Stradiots as part of the Italian allied army at Fornovo (2,200 men-at-arms, "more than 2,000" light horse, and 8,000 foot) in 1495. The stradiots were for the most part Albanians and from the provinces near Greece, who had been brought into Italy by the Venetians, and retaining the same name they had in their country, are called stradiots."
[16][17]

Impressed by the unorthodox tactics of the stratioti, other European powers quickly began to hire mercenaries from the same region. France France under Louis XII recruited some 2,000 stradioti in 1497, two years after the battle of Fornovo. Among the French they were known as estradiots and argoulets. The term "argoulet" is believed to come either from the Greek city of Argos, where many of argoulets come from (Pappas), or from the arcus (bow) and the arquebuse.[18] For some authors argoulets and estradiots are synonymous but for others there are certain differences between them. G. Daniel, citing M. de Montgommeri, says that argoulets and estradiots have the same armoury except that the former wear a helmet.[19] According to others "estradiots" were Albanian horsemen and "argoulets" were Greeks, while Croatians were called "Cravates".[20] The argoulets were armed with a sword, a mace (metal club) and a short arquebuse. They continued to exist under Charles IX and are noted at the battle of Dreux (1562). They were disbanded around 1600.[21] The English chronicle writer Edward Hall described the "Stradiotes" at the battle of the Spurs in 1513. They were equipped with short stirrups, small spears, beaver hats, and Turkish swords.[22]

French estradiot and his arms. Notice the short double-pointed spear ("arzegaye"). Engraving, 1724 (G. Daniel).

The term "carabins" was also used in France as well as in Spain denoting cavalry and infantry units similar to estradiots and argoulets (Daniel G.)(Bonaparte N.[23]). Units of Carabins seem to exist at least till the early 18th century.[24]

Stratioti Corps of light infantry mercenaries were periodically reqruited from the Balkans or Italy mainly during the 15th to 17th centuries. In 1587, the Duchy of Lorraine recruited 500 Albanian cavalrymen, while from 1588 to 1591 five Albanian light cavalry captains were also recruited.[25] Spain Stratioti were first employed by Spain in their Italian expedition (see Italian Wars). Gonzalo Fernndez de Crdoba ("Gran Capitan") was sent by King Ferdinand II of Aragon ("the Catholic") to support the kingtom of Naples against the French invasion. In Calabria Gonzalo had two hundred "estradiotes Griegos, elite cavalry".[26] Units of estradiotes served also in the Guard of King Ferdinand and, along with the "Alabarderos", are considered the beginnings of the Spanish Royal Guard.[27] England In 1514, Henry VIII of England, employed units of Albanian and Greek stradioti during the battles with the Kingdom of Scotland.[15][28] In the 1540s, Duke Edward Seymour of Somerset used Albanian stradioti in his campaign against Scotland.[29] An account of the presence of stratioti in Britain is given by Nikandros Noukios of Corfu. In about 1545 Noukios followed as a non-combatant the English invasion of Scotland where the English forces included Greeks from Argos under the leadership of Thomas of Argos whose "Courage, and prudence, and experience of wars" was lauded by the Corfiot traveller.[30][31] Thomas was sent by Henry VIII to Boulogne in 1546, as commander of a battalion of 550 Greeks and was injured in the battle.[32] The King expressed his appreciation to Thomas for his leadership in Boulogne and rewarded him with a good sum of money. Holy Roman Empire In the middle of the 18th century, Albanian stratioti were employed by Empress Maria Theresa during the War of the Austrian Succession against Prussian and French troops.[33]

Tactics
The stratioti were pioneers of light cavalry tactics during this era. In the early 16th century heavy cavalry in the European armies was principally remodeled after Albanian stradioti of the Venetian army, Hungarian hussars and German mercenary cavalry units (Schwarzreitern).[34] They employed hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, feigned retreats and other complex maneuvers. In some ways, these tactics echoed those of the Ottoman sipahis and akinci. They had some notable successes also against French heavy cavalry during the Italian Wars.[35] They were known for cutting off the heads of dead or captured enemies, and according to Commines they were paid by their leaders one ducat per head.[36]

Equipment
The stradioti used javelins, as well as swords, maces, crossbows and daggers. They traditionally dressed in a mixture of Ottoman, Byzantine and European garb: the armor was initially a simply mail hauberk, but became heavier as years passed. As mercenaries, the stradioti received wages only as long as their military services were needed.[37]

Notable stratioti
Mercurio Bua Krokodeilos Kladas Giorgio Basta Matthew Spanoudes (or Spadugnino), a stradioti who earned the title of "Count and Knight of the Holy Roman Empire" from Emperor Frederick III.[38]

Stratioti Palaiologos (also Paleologos) family: Graitzas Paleologos, a leader of the stradioti.[39] Manolis Paleologos, Nicolos Paleologos[40] Teodoros Paleologos ("capo"), Ioannes (Zuan) Paleologos, Alexandros Paleologos [41] Demetrios Laskaris, son of Isaakios, unit commander.[42] Isaakios Laskaris, killed in the battle of Fornovo (1495)(Sathas) Panagiotis Doxaras, horseman by the Venetian army and painter, (1662-1729). Thomas of Argos, captain of a battalion of 550 Greek stratioti who served in the English army in the era of Henry VIII. Thomas was injured in the Siege of Boulogne (1546) fighting victoriously against a unit of more than 1,000 French (Moustoxydes, 1856). Michael Tarchaniota Marullus, Renaissance scholar, poet and humanist.

Notes
[1] . [2] . [3] Liddell H., Scott R., A Greek-English Lexicon, (http:/ / www. perseus. tufts. edu/ hopper/ text?doc=Perseus:text:1999. 04. 0057:alphabetic+ letter=*s111:entry+ group=84:entry=stratiw/ ths) [4] Trecanni (ed.), Grande Enciclopedia Italiana, "Stradioti": "dal basso greco "; : "dal greco stratita". [5] [6] [7] [8] (Sam Houston State University). . Nicolle, 1989. B. N. Floria, "Vykhodtsy iz Balkanakh stran na russkoi sluzhbe," Balkanskia issledovaniia. 3. Osloboditel'nye dvizheniia na Balkanakh (Moscow, 1978), pp. 57-63. [9] Hungary and the fall of Eastern Europe 1000-1568 by David Nicolle, Angus McBride: "John Comnenus [...] settled Serbs as stratioti around Izmir..." [10] "Young men recruited from among Greeks and Albanians. They were known as stradioti from the Greek word for soldier." [11] Nicolle, 2002: p. 16 [12] ; . [13] . [14] . [15] . [16] Guicciardini ,Sidney Alexander's translation, p. 95 [17] http:/ / xenophongroup. com/ EMW/ article002. htm [18] Dictionnaire tymologique de la langue franoise, vol. 1 (http:/ / books. google. gr/ books?id=AYM-AAAAcAAJ& pg=PA83& lpg=PA83& dq=argoulet+ arcus& source=bl& ots=HRNyTK5OhP& sig=lE0EOuIN4f5C7X9UKGsOkgkJEdo& hl=el& ei=rUPYTJZcg8OzBpHykOQI& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=2& ved=0CBoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage& q=argoulet arcus& f=false) [19] Daniel R.P.G. (1724) Histoire de la milice francoise, et des changemens qui s'y sont ... , Amsterdam, vol. 1, pp. 166-171. (http:/ / books. google. gr/ books?id=9DUVAAAAQAAJ& pg=PA173& lpg=PA173& dq=argoulets+ estradiot& source=bl& ots=TMzD3-5DpL& sig=aKiEeJjjIDV2akmcMwTr6Eyq4Xk& hl=el& ei=0DHYTKqXA8jxsgaLxIyICA& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=2& ved=0CBkQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage& q=argoulets estradiot& f=false) [20] Virol M. (2007) Les oisivetes de monsieur de Vauban, edition integrale, Champ Vallon, Seyssel, p. 988, footnote 3. (http:/ / books. google. gr/ books?id=0y_zQWVCWqsC& pg=PA988& lpg=PA988& dq=argoulets+ cavalerie+ grec& source=bl& ots=twcl8UhlPL& sig=oruUnMDwFLqKwZgKVGmv8EXPz6Q& hl=el& ei=zA7XTOL2J4jKswbf0fXvCA& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=10& ved=0CEEQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage& q& f=false) [21] La Grand Encyclopedie, Eole-Fanucci, Paris (undated), vol. 16, article "Argoulet" [22] Hall, Edward, Chronicle, (1809), p. 543, 550 [23] Bonaparte N. tudes sur le pass et l'avenir de l'artillerie, Paris, 1846, vol. 1, p. 161 (http:/ / www. archive. org/ stream/ tudessurlepasse01napogoog/ tudessurlepasse01napogoog_djvu. txt) [24] Boyer Abel (1710) The history of the reign of Queen Anne, year the eight, London, p. 86. (http:/ / books. google. gr/ books?id=R-g1AAAAMAAJ& pg=RA1-PA86& lpg=RA1-PA86& dq=cornet+ carabins+ queen+ Anne& source=bl& ots=oBlH0WUFMT& sig=7atQhsSLAr3w0UKNfmnVdb2qde8& hl=el& ei=B4DzTO73Dd2O4gbe5JXIAQ& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=2& ved=0CB8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage& q& f=false) A list of French captured by the British at the battle of Tasnieres (1709) includes an officer of the "Royal Carabins" [25] .

Stratioti
[26] Historia del Rey Don Fernando el Catolico: De las empresas y ligas de Italia, book V, p. 3. (http:/ / ifc. dpz. es/ recursos/ publicaciones/ 24/ 23/ libro5. pdf) [27] LA GUARDIA REAL (http:/ / www. curso-master-protocolo-etiqueta-eventos. com/ 2010_09_01_archive. html) [28] . [29] . [30] Nicander Nucius, The second book of the travels of Nicander Nucius of Corcyra, ed. by Rev. J.A. Cramer, 1841, London, p.90 (http:/ / www. archive. org/ stream/ secondbookoftrav00nuciuoft#page/ 90/ mode/ 2up). See also Note 1. [31] Cramers translation of A.Noukios' work stops exactly where the text starts referring on Thomas of Argos. A Greek historian, Andreas Moustoxydes, published the missing part of the original Greek text, based on a manuscript kept in the Ambrosian Library (Milan). After Cramers asterisks (end of his translation) the text continues as follows: [Hence, indeed, Thomas also, the general of the Argives from Peloponnesus, with those about him ***] spoke to them so: Comrades, as you see we are in the extreme parts of the world, under the service of a King and a nation in the farthest north. And nothing we brought here from our country other than our courage and bravery. Thus, bravely we stand against our enemies, . Because we are children of the Greeks and we are not afraid of the barbarian flock. . Therefore, courageous and in order let us march to the enemy, , and the famous since olden times virtue of the Greeks let us prove with our action. (*) in the original Greek text. This incident happened during the Sieges of Boulogne (15441546). [32] Moustoxydes Andreas (1856) Nikandros Noukios, in the periodical Pandora, vol. 7, No. 154, 15 Augh. 1856, p. 222 (http:/ / xantho. lis. upatras. gr/ test2_pleias. php?art=37744) In Greek language. Andreas Moustoxydes was a Greek historian and politician. [33] . [34] . [35] . [36] DeCommines, Philippe, Lettres et Negotiations, with comments by Kervyn De Lettenhove, ed. 1868, V. Devaux et Cie. Bruxelles, vol. 2, p. 200, 220 (http:/ / ia700208. us. archive. org/ 8/ items/ lettresetngoci02comm/ lettresetngoci02comm_bw. pdf): "quinze cents estradiotes grecs ou albanais, "vaillans hommes" qui recevaient in ducat par tete d' ennemi qu'ils rapportaient a leurs chefs". [37] : "Throughout Europe footmen replaced knights, that is, cavalry. They used new weapons and came with regionally varying skills: English archers and crossbowmen, Swiss pikemen, Flemish burgher forces, and, later, Italian gunfighters or exiled Albanian and Greek stradioti on light horse (from Italian strada: street). Mercenaries hired on for pay under "military enterprisers" received wages only as long as work was available." [38] ; ; . [39] . [40] Cronaca Cittadina II (http:/ / abodily. tripod. com/ porcilestorialocale01500. html). [41] Medin, Antonio. La Obsidione di Padua del MDIX, ed. Romagnoli. Bologna, 1892 (http:/ / www. archive. org/ stream/ laobsidionedipa00medigoog/ laobsidionedipa00medigoog_djvu. txt). [42] .

References Sources
Primary sources
Bembi, Petri (1551). Historiae Venetae. Venetiis: Apud Aldi Filios,. Available online (http://www. uni-mannheim.de/mateo/itali/autoren/bembo_itali.html) in Latin language. Bembo, Pietro (1780). Storia Veneta. Venice, Italy. In Italian language. De Commines, Philip. Memoirs. first published in 1524. Battle of Fornovo: Memoirs, 1856 edition, London, vol. 2, p. 201. (http://books.google.gr/ books?id=XsI-AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=de+commines+memoirs&source=bl& ots=X4j51zLLw1&sig=Cm5gGXkkqQuIDqaZsr3KxJgiff4&hl=el&ei=qyPgTNShMs_usgbvoKj5Cw& sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false)

Stratioti

Secondary sources
Bugh, Glenn Richard (2002). Andrea Gritti and the Greek stradiots of Venice in the early 16th century 32. Thesaurismata, (Bulletin of the Istituto Ellenico di Studi Bizantini e Postbizantini di Venezia). pp.8194. Detrez, Raymond; Plas, Pieter (2005). Developing Cultural Identity in the Balkans: Convergence vs Divergence (http://books.google.com/books?id=TRttHdXjP14C). Peter Lang. ISBN90-5201-297-0. English Historical Review (2000). Shorter Notice. Greek Emigres in the West, 1400-1520. Jonathan Harris (http:/ /ehr.oxfordjournals.org/content/115/460/192.extract) 115 (460). Oxford Journals. pp.192193. doi: 10.1093/ehr/115.460.192 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ehr/115.460.192). Downing, Brian M. (1992). The Military Revolution and Political Change: Origins of Democracy and Autocracy in Early Modern Europe (http://books.google.com/books?id=jpYnGxR5MuwC). Princeton University Press. ISBN0-691-02475-8. Floria, B. N. (1978). "Vykhodtsy iz Balkanakh stran na russkoi sluzhbe". Balkanskia issledovaniia 3, Osloboditel'nye dvizheniia na Balkanakh (Moscow): 5763. Folengo, Teofilo; Mullaney, Ann E. (2008). Baldo, Books 13-15 (http://books.google.com/ books?id=SdGP09oCspsC). Harvard University Press. ISBN978-0-674-03124-1. Hammer, Paul E. J. (2003). Elizabeth's Wars: War, Government, and Society in Tudor England, 1544-1604 (http:/ /books.google.com/books?id=qVbIdJfWiT0C). Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN0-333-91942-4. Higham, Robin D. S. (1972). A Guide to the Sources of British Military History (http://books.google.com/ books?id=7n09AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA171). Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN0-7100-7251-1. Hoerder, Dirk (2002). Cultures in Contact: World Migrations in the Second Millennium (http://books.google. com/books?id=pp4lRax4WaEC). Duke University Press. ISBN0-8223-2834-8. Howard, Michael (2009). War in European History (http://books.google.com/books?id=Rr5faMwcxVMC& pg=PA77). Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-954619-0. Monter, E. William (2007). A Bewitched Duchy: Lorraine and its Dukes, 1477-1736 (http://books.google.com/ books?id=CKVIJj7KH0wC&pg=PA76). Librairie Droz. ISBN978-2-600-01165-5. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1992). Byzantium and Venice: A Study in Diplomatic and Cultural Relations (http:// books.google.com/books?id=rymIUITIYdwC). Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-42894-7. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1994). The Byzantine Lady: Ten Portraits, 1250-1500 (http://books.google.com/ books?id=6FlYAc5qrKcC). Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-45531-6. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (2002). The Immortal Emperor: The Life and Legend of Constantine Palaiologos, Last Emperor of the Romans (http://books.google.com/books?id=lnSmnmL984YC). Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-89409-3. Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1968). The Byzantine Family of Kantakouzenos (Cantacuzenus) ca. 1100-1460: A Genealogical and Prosopographical Study (http://books.google.com/books?id=HqdBAAAAIAAJ). Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies, Trustees for Harvard University. Nicolle, David; McBride, Angus (1988). Hungary and the Fall of Eastern Europe 1000-1568 (http://books. google.com/books?id=PmZmOkfkr9oC). Osprey Publishing. ISBN0-85045-833-1. Nicolle, David; Rothero, Christopher (1989). The Venetian Empire 1200-1670 (http://books.google.com/ books?id=WuwULNmr2_cC). Osprey Publishing. ISBN0-85045-899-4. Pappas, Nicholas C. J. "Stradioti: Balkan Mercenaries in Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Italy" (http://www. shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Stradioti.html). Sam Houston State University. Sathas, Konstantinos (1867). Hellenika Anekdota (Volume 1) (in Greek). Available online (http://books.google. gr/books?id=Wu1AAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=sathas&source=bl&ots=3p3fhjnZT3& sig=o3frhSbUhpL_MikQtdA_829OoAs&hl=el&ei=qSPkTNfdKMb4sgbf1cn_Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result& ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q&f=false)

Stratioti Setton, Kenneth M. (1976). The Papacy and the Levant (1204-1571): The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries (Volume 1) (http://books.google.com/books?id=0Sz2VYI0l1IC). American Philosophical Society. ISBN0-87169-127-2. Societa Italiana di Studi Araldici (2005). "Sul Tutto: Periodico della Societa Italiana di Studi Araldici, No. 3" (http://www.socistara.it/notiziari/Sul Tutto N.3 dicembre 2005.pdf). Tardivel, Louis (1991). Rpertoire des emprunts du franais aux langues trangres (http://books.google.com/ books?id=_p3_tVuRntkC) (in French). Qubec: Les ditions du Septentrion. ISBN2-921114-51-8. Wright, Diana Gilliland (1999). Bartolomeo Minio: Venetian Administration in 15th-century Nauplion. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America.

Further reading
Curt Johnson: The French Army of the Early Italian Wars (http://xenophongroup.com/EMW/article002.htm) Lopez, R. Il principio della guerra veneto-turca nel 1463. "Archivio Veneto", 5 serie, 15 (1934), pp.47131. , . . . 1463-6. , 1914. Sathas, K. N. Documents indits relatifs l' histoire de la Grce au Moyen ge, publis sous les auspices de la Chambre des dputs de Grce. Tom. VI: Jacomo Barbarigo, Dispacci della guerra di Peloponneso (1465-6), Paris, 188090, pp. 1-116 (http://anemi.lib.uoc.gr/php/pdf_pager.php?filename=/var/www/tkl-portal-neo// metadata/e/9/f/attached-metadata-438-0000090/242612_06.pdf&lang=en&pageno=1&pagestart=1& width=528.96 pts&height=806.64 pts&maxpage=342). . ," Bergamo. ", 28 (2008), 289-336.

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File:Albanian Stradioti at Battle of Fornovo.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Albanian_Stradioti_at_Battle_of_Fornovo.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: anonymous French painter File:Estradiot engraving.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Estradiot_engraving.JPG License: Public Domain Contributors: Gabriel Daniel

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