Gallowglass, elite Irish mercenaries, 14th & 15th century

The Gallowglass were elite mercenaries of Scottish origin who fought in Ireland from the 13th to 17th centuries. Descendants of Viking settlers, they served Gaelic lords in exchange for land or wealth. Fearsome on the battlefield, they were recognizable by their chain mail, helmets and imposing weapons, including two-handed swords and axes. Their discipline and strength made them feared soldiers, but their influence declined with the arrival of firearms and the consolidation of English power in