Stratiots were mercenaries from the Balkan Peninsula, hired mainly by states of southern and central Europe from the XV to the Middle. XVIII century.
Stratioti were recruited from the population of Albania, Dalmatia, Greece, Serbia, and later Cyprus. Most modern historians believe that Albanians made up about 80% of the total contingent, while the officer corps was mainly of Greek and South Slavic origin. Among them were the descendants of the ancient Byzantine noble families – Palaiologos and Komnenos.
History
The Venetians for the first time used stratioti in the fight against the Ottoman Empire in 1475 as border guards in the Friuli region. From that moment on, they almost completely replaced the light cavalry in the army of the Republic of Venice, their detachment of 2,200 horsemen and 8,000 infantrymen manifested themselves in the battle of Fornovo in 1495. Mercenaries were recruited from the Orthodox Balkans, among them were Muslims. In 1511, a group of stratioti founded the Church of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice.
In 1497, King Louis XII hired about 2,000 stratiotis, which the French called estradiots. In 1587, the Duchy of Lorraine hired 500 Albanian horsemen, and from 1588 to 1591 – five captains of light cavalry units.
First used during the Italian campaign of Gonzalo Cordova, sent by King Ferdinand II of Aragon to support the kingdom of Naples in the struggle against France. In Calabria, the commander had two hundred stratioti, they also served in his guard.
In 1514, Henry VIII hired Albanian and Greek stratioti during the fight against Scotland. In the 1540s, the Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour also used these mercenaries.
In the middle of the 18th century, Albanian stratioti were used by Empress Maria Theresa against Prussia and France during the war for the Austrian inheritance.
Tactics
Stratiotis were pioneers in the use of light cavalry. On the battlefield, they used hit-run tactics, ambushes, false retreats, and other difficult maneuvers, which related them to Turkish vultures and akinci. They also successfully acted against the French heavy cavalry during the Italian Wars.
They were known for the habit of cutting off the heads of dead and captured enemies, as their leaders were paid a ducat for one head.
Stratiotis used spears, swords, maces, crossbows and daggers. Their clothing was a mixture of Byzantine, European and Ottoman fashion. The original armor was chain mail, but over time the armor became heavier. Mercenaries, stratioti were paid only as long as their services were in demand.