Redshank (soldier)

A Highland mercenary fighting in Europe during the Thirty Years War, with a bow, plaid and blue bonnet.

Redshank was a nickname for Scottish mercenaries from the Highlands and Western Isles contracted to fight in Ireland; they were a prominent feature of Irish armies throughout the 16th century. They were called redshanks because they went dressed in plaids and waded bare-legged through rivers in the coldest weather. An alternative etymology, illustrated by Jamieson by a quote from Sir Walter Scott, is that it referred to the untanned deer leather buskins worn by Highlanders, although Jamieson notes that Scott's source, John Elder of Caithness, actually stated its origin was from their habit of going "bare-legged and bare-footed".[1] The term was not derogatory, as the English were in general impressed with the redshanks' qualities as soldiers.[2]

  1. ^ Jamieson (ed), Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, v2, p.280
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference falls79 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).