Who were the Landsknechte created by Maximilian I?

The Landsknechte were a highly effective force of German mercenary pikemen created by Maximilian I in the late 15th century.123

After witnessing the success of Swiss Reisläufer mercenaries during the battles of the 1470s, Maximilian sought to modernize his own forces, which previously held a weak reputation. He recruited these elite Swiss pikemen to train his German soldiers, who were drawn from all walks of life, including peasants, artisans, nobles, and criminals.124

The Landsknechte became renowned for their disciplined phalanxes of pikes and halberds, which allowed them to effectively counter heavy cavalry charges. Their organization was further refined by the German soldier Georg von Frundsberg, often called the "Father of the Landsknechte." While they served as a vital military asset for the Habsburgs for over a century, their independence and tendency to mutiny if unpaid made them a complex force to manage.23