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The
"Helvetians":-
The great Latin historian, Tacitus,
had written : "The Helvetians are a
people of warriors, famous for the
valour of their soldiers." This is why
the Swiss Cantons, as allies first
with one side and then with another,
played such an important role in the
history of European politics. In fact
as allies of Pope Julius II in 1512,
they helped to shape Italy's destiny
and were granted by the Pope the title
of "Defenders of the Church's
freedom". In those times, when to be a
mercenary soldier was a commonplace
occupation, there lived a people of
warriors in the very heart of the
Alps. The first Swiss Cantons had
about 500,000 inhabitants and formed
an overpopulated country, where,
because of the precarious economic
conditions of the times, there was
much poverty. There was no choice but
to emigrate and one of the most
profitable jobs was that of a
mercenary soldier abroad. |
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