‘The Lady Captain’ Recruited Only the Best Looking Men For Her Swiss Mercenary Band
Mercenary bands in Switzerland for centuries were much feared by their enemies – and prized by the families that owned them. One group in particular – the Zerlauben family – ran a robust mercenary enterprise during the old Swiss Confederacy, supplying men for the Swiss Guards and other outfits. Family members were hands-on. Maria Jakobea …
