Editing Mercenary (section)

==History==
[[File:Ian Kirkpatrick sellswords.jpg|thumb|Island Mercenaries by Ian Kirkpatrick © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Sellswords helped the [[Golden Empire of Yi Ti]] conquer [[Leng]] centuries ago.{{ref|TWOIAF| The Bones and Beyond: leng}}

During the [[coming of the Andals]] to [[Westeros]], some [[Andals]] were hired as mercenaries by [[First Men]] to fight their rivals, only to betray their patrons.{{ref|TWOIAF| The Vale}} Andals and sellswords helped to bring down [[House Greyiron]] in the [[Iron Islands]].{{ref|TWOIAF| The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings}} Lord [[Torrence Teague]] used wealth raided from the [[westerlands]] to hire sellswords from [[Essos]], allowing him to eventually become [[King of the Trident]].{{ref|TWOIAF| The Riverlands}}

Many free companies were formed during the [[Century of Blood]], the aftermath of the [[Doom of Valyria]].{{ref|TWOIAF| Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}} The [[Free Cities]] often hired the companies for their endless wars in the [[Disputed Lands]] and the [[Stepstones]].<ref name=SSMMercenaries/> Likewise, most sellsail fleets were formed during the wars of [[Lys]], [[Myr]], and [[Tyrosh]].{{ref|TWOIAF| The Free Cities: The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh}}

The [[Bright Banners]] and the [[Second Sons]] fled instead of facing the ''[[khalasar]]'' of Khal [[Temmo]], but the [[Three Thousand of Qohor]] held off the [[Dothraki]].{{ref|ASOS|8}}

Prince [[Daemon Targaryen]] hired sellswords for his [[war for the Stepstones]].{{ref|TRP}} During the [[Dance of the Dragons]], Ser [[Perkin the Flea]] granted [[knight]]hood to any sellswords who supported [[Trystane Truefyre]], and mercenaries flocked to support [[Hugh Hammer]].{{ref|TPATQ}} The collapse of the [[Triarchy]] greatly increased demand for mercenaries in Essos, causing surplus [[northmen]] after the [[Hour of the Wolf]] and other Westerosi to found new free companies.{{Ref|FAB|Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand}}

The [[Golden Company]] was founded by Ser [[Aegor Rivers]] and other [[Westeros]]i exiles in the aftermath of the [[First Blackfyre Rebellion]].{{ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II}} Ser [[Lucas Inchfield]] considered Ser [[Duncan the Tall]] and Ser [[Bennis of the Brown Shield]] to have been sellswords when they served Ser [[Eustace Osgrey]] as sworn swords.{{ref|TSS}}

The peace between [[Braavos]] and [[Pentos]] prohibits the Pentoshi from hiring sellswords or free companies.{{ref|TWOIAF| The Free Cities: Pentos}} [[House Baelish]] descends from a Braavosi sellsword.{{ref|ASOS|68}}