REN005
First Legion
The 14th-17th Centuries are a fascinating period known as the Renaissance. During this time there was resurgence in art, science, and literature, as opposed to the Dark Age that followed the fall of Rome. The Renaissance wasn’t all advancement and exploration though, as it was rife with military conflict as the great European powers vied for dominance of the continent. The use of gun powder and cannons became commonplace, and were used in cooperation with the heavy cavalry that reigned as queen of the battlefield in the previous centuries. As such, it is typically referred to as the "Age of Pike and Shot" as the pike and musket were seen in most army formations.
First Legion will explore this interesting period of history extensively, but they launched the REN range with the Battle of Pavia in 1525. It was the climax of the Italian Wars between France and the Spanish Empire, which resulted in Habsburg rule of the Italian States for the next two centuries. REN001-REN030 are hand painted military miniatures that cover the colorful mercenaries from Germany, called Landsknechts, trained in Swiss pike formations.
The mercenary seen here holds his pike at “charge” and is a perfect figure for the front rank of a pike square.