| “ | The Gallowgass ar pycked and seelected men of great and mightie bodies, crewell without compassion. The greatest force of the battell consisteth in them, chosinge rather to dye then to yeelde, so that when yt cometh to handy blowes they are quickly slayne or win the feilde.
— John Dymmok
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The Gallowglass were Norse-Scots and later Irish who served as elite mercenary warriors for the many clans of medieval Ireland from 1259 to the mid-16th century. Originating from the western coast of Argyll and the Western Isles of Scotland, the Gallowglass were descended from Vikings who settled and intermarried with the local Scots, although the first records of their service would begin in 1259 during the 13th century, when the king of Connacht received a dowry of 160 Scottish warriors, which were organized into formations known as corrughadh, although it may be possible that they began appearing earlier, as they were supposedly a factor in containing the invasions of the Anglo-Normans.
The Gallowglass became favored warriors of the emerald isle, being used by various lordships against each other or the invading Englishmen, and even by the invading Englishmen such as the Lord Deputy of Ireland. Although mercenaries, along with pay the Gallowglass were given land and supplies from the local populace in return for their service similar to Knights. The Gallowglass would exist well past the Middle Ages into the Renaissance and the age of gunpowder, with the Gallowglass making up an important piece of the Irish forces of the Nine Years' War, and even the Thirty Years' War, where they would serve on the European mainland in various elite guard infantry units.
From this point, the Gallowglass seemed to fade out of historical sources and were likely gradually displaced due to the growing power of the English and the advancement of firearms technology, making their specialization as shock troops redundant against large swaths of gun-toting infantry.
Battle vs. Varangian Guard (by GardenofSound)[]
TBW.
Expert's Opinion[]
TBD.