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History records that "Hessians" were the German mercenaries who fought the colonists. However, they were not mercenaries in the modern sense. The term comes from soldiers in service to the state of Hesse-Cassel, which like Hanover was not yet part of a unified German state. To utilize the standing military forces, King George III paid a fee to his uncle, Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel. This was not the only time soldiers from German regions were used in the British Empire. More than 1/4 of about 24,000 of these soldiers died during the war.

The term "Hessian mercenary" is somewhat of a generalization, as a number of the German-British soldiers fighting under King George III came from the German region of Hanover, which was a British holding at the time. King George III was descended from the House of Hanover, which was a royal German family, and many of the Germans who fought for him during the American Revolution were actually his legal subjects, meaning they weren't mercenaries at all. There is no doubt many German mercenaries, particularly from Hesse, also fought in support of the British Crown, but Germany was not a united country at that time in history, as much of it was known as the Holy Roman Empire, and different Germans had different allegiances. "Hessian mercenary" was more or less a general term that denoted all German mercenaries, be they from Hesse, Prussia, or any where else in the German speaking lands.

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13y ago
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16y ago

The Hessians http://www.americanrevolution.org/hessindex.html

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13y ago

Hessians...

Worked for the highest bidder. Didn't exactly work too hard.. ---> Wanted to be able to spend the money they "earned".

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15y ago

Hessians - I just answered this for a quiz in my history class, it's correct. What is correct?

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13y ago

They were called "Hessians", since most of them came from that part of what is now Germany.

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12y ago

Hessian's was the name of the mercenaries hired by the British in the American revolutionary war.

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12y ago

The Hessians. They were great soldiers because they fought for pay, not loyalty.

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16y ago

Hessians

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Q: Who were the German soldiers the british hired in the revolutionary war?
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Who were the Hessians and what role did they play in the revolutionary war?

These were German mercenary units that had been retained by the British to engage in battles with the colonists on their behalf.They were significant because not being devoted to Britain, they were less apt to engage in battle or to sustain heavy losses. Their lack of loyalty to the goals of their employers often made them significantly less willing to risk their lives.


What was the name of the british soldiers starting with an H?

Highlanders ? hussars ? There were also the Hessians, though techinically not British sodiers, they were mercenaries from present day Germany hired by the British to fight in the American Revolution. - HistoryDork.


The British employed French soldiers to assist them during the early battles of the Revolutionary War True or False?

I believe it would be false. The British hired mercenaries for Hess, a province of Germany. The Hessians were the ones captured in Washington's famous Christmas raid. Many Hessians were granted parole and stayed in the colonies to raise families and become a part of the new country.


Why did Germany help the British in the American Revolutionary War?

Of course, they played a pivotal role yet the British lost. ___ The assumption in the question is false. At the time 'Germany' consisted of over 300 more or less sovereign states. It was, above all, Hessen that helped Britain. Hessen was one of the worst run German states and their unscrupulous ruler hired out his army for cash.


The British hired nearly 30000 troops from Germany to help them fight the colonists These mercenaries or were the?

German mercenaries called Hessians were hired to help the British fight in the colonies. Although this was not a popular move with the British people, Britain had no choice after having never replenished its army to previous numbers following the Seven Years War.

Related questions

What did the Americans call the hired British soldiers during the revolutionary war?

If you mean the German soldiers that the British hired, that would be the Hessians. If you're talking about the actual British soldiers, that would be redcoats.


German mercenaries hired by the british to fight during the American revolutionary war?

Hessian (soldiers)


What were the German troops called in the Revolutionary War?

The British were call redcoats, lobsterbacks, regulars and bloodybacks


Why were colonists angry at Germany for hireing mercanries?

The British hired mercenaries. German troops known as Hessians. The reason Germany drew ire was that these soldiers were hired out to the British by the German government. The British used the Hessians in several conflicts, including in Ireland, but they are most widely associated with combat operations in the American Revolutionary War. About 30,000 German soldiers served in the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution.


What were the German mercenaries hired by the british to fight during the American revolutionary war known as?

Hessians


How do you spell heshens?

The likely word is the plural proper noun "Hessians" used for hired German soldiers who fought for the British in the Revolutionary War, although not all were from Hesse.


What were the northern and southern and western borders of the us after the revolutionary war?

the british hired german to help them fight


What German soldier was hired by the British?

German solder hired by the British=hessian


Hessians were hired soldiers?

german


What soldiers hired by the british?

the Germans


Many of the German hessian soldiers hired by king george III to fight for the british?

hated american revolutionariesand their cause2


Determined to win against the Americans king George hired German soldiers to fight for Britain?

Yes, King George hired German soldiers to fight for Britain