Review by Choice Review
Usually scorned by the governments they served, mercenaries in early modern Europe have been given little more respect by historians, who generally have been content to treat them as anonymous tools of princes and unworthy of study on their own merits. In this work, however, Henry raises scholarly understanding of mercenaries by demonstrating how one group--the Irish who served in the late 16th and early 17th century wars in the Low Countries--formed their own cohesive community and in the process were transformed from social outcasts in their own land to soldiers of the Counter-Reformation. The result is more the history of a community of exiles who happened to be soliders than the actual development of military units, but it is no less important for that. Unfortunately, Henry's approach often assumes that her audience has an extensive background in the history of this period--particularly Irish history--which will leave many confused. Highly recommended but only for specialized collections in military and Irish history. R. H. Larson; Lycoming College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
