Soldatenhandel

Soldatenhandel (German: 'soldier trade') was a practice of European states to raise and lease armed forces for compensation, especially in the German states of the Holy Roman Empire. It has been described as "military entrepreneurialism",^[1] where fiscal-military states provided "auxiliaries" or "subsidy armies" for wealthier, more powerful states and empires.^[2] The term especially refers to the practice following the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648. The practice fell into disfavor during the 19th century.