Explanation: Hesse is a state in modern Germany. It used to be several, smaller independent polities. Outside of the American Revolution, I'm not aware of those states having made particularly noteworthy names of themselves.
However, during the American Revolutionary War, the British Empire hired some 30,000 soldiers from these princely German states - nearly as many German mercenaries as British soldiers served in the Loyalist ranks. While not all of those mercenaries were actually Hessian, enough were that the name caught as a slang term for German mercenaries in the Revolutionary War. More numerous and 'foreign' than the British professional troops ('redcoats'), Hessian soldiers acquired a fearsome reputation during the war. Considering that they were largely trained and professional soldiers, and many Americans (Patriot or Loyalist) fighting in the war were militia, not unfairly.
While the Hessians were good soldiers, being sent across an ocean to fight another country's battles so your ruler can get a little money can rankle a bit. Especially bad if you're a conscript to begin with. Many Hessians who surrendered or were captured chose instead to settle in the USA, which already had several large German-American communities, rather than return to their countries of origin in Germany after the war.
Hessians were big even in my elementary school education. And, I mean, I get it - it's a real easy 'point' to score for Patriot sympathies. "King George literally hired foreign mercenaries to come and kill our troops, but we beat them and gave them land instead because we are Just Nice Guys(tm) (please ignore the crippling labor shortage in the colonies at the time)"
10 Comments
PugJesus@piefed.social · 40 pts · 185d
Explanation: Hesse is a state in modern Germany. It used to be several, smaller independent polities. Outside of the American Revolution, I'm not aware of those states having made particularly noteworthy names of themselves.
However, during the American Revolutionary War, the British Empire hired some 30,000 soldiers from these princely German states - nearly as many German mercenaries as British soldiers served in the Loyalist ranks. While not all of those mercenaries were actually Hessian, enough were that the name caught as a slang term for German mercenaries in the Revolutionary War. More numerous and 'foreign' than the British professional troops ('redcoats'), Hessian soldiers acquired a fearsome reputation during the war. Considering that they were largely trained and professional soldiers, and many Americans (Patriot or Loyalist) fighting in the war were militia, not unfairly.
While the Hessians were good soldiers, being sent across an ocean to fight another country's battles so your ruler can get a little money can rankle a bit. Especially bad if you're a conscript to begin with. Many Hessians who surrendered or were captured chose instead to settle in the USA, which already had several large German-American communities, rather than return to their countries of origin in Germany after the war.
mumblerfish@lemmy.world · 26 pts · 185d
Hessians in Mathematics textbooks
... sorry, wrong community. I will see myself out.
UniversalBasicJustice@quokk.au · 6 pts · 185d
visions of turbulence curling through my brain
whelk@retrolemmy.com · 12 pts · 185d
I think one of the origin stories of the Headless Horseman is a Hessian
MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 185d
I always thought he was Russian, since he was always Russian around on his horse.
whelk@retrolemmy.com · 3 pts · 184d
Just take this upvote and go
Vintor@retrolemmy.com · 7 pts · 185d
It's called Hessen, though, with an n.
Steve@startrek.website · 7 pts · 185d
Never heard of it
LurkingLuddite@piefed.social · 17 pts · 185d
Because the US education system failed you.
(if you're outside the US, then it figures history would be simplified past such details)
PugJesus@piefed.social · 25 pts · 185d
Hessians were big even in my elementary school education. And, I mean, I get it - it's a real easy 'point' to score for Patriot sympathies. "King George literally hired foreign mercenaries to come and kill our troops, but we beat them and gave them land instead because we are Just Nice Guys(tm) (please ignore the crippling labor shortage in the colonies at the time)"