Where the French and Spanish come up with so many men to fight in their armies throughout history?
France always had the largest population of any unified West European state until German unification in 1871. They also hired many mercenaries.There was a sizeable Swisscontingentt in the French army from the late 15th century onwards, and 6 regiments recruited from Catholic Irish emigres who had fled to France after William of Orange consolidated his control over Ireland following the Battle of the Boyne (1690). As for Spain, they controlled a lot of other territory in Europe.In the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries whole tercios were raised from the Walloons (modern Belgium) and Northern Italy. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Spanish army also had regiments raised from emigre Catholic Irish who had gone to Spain rather than France after the Boyne (see above). The Dutch generally relied on allies during land wars, being part of anti French and anti Spanish coalitions.However, by the end of the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) they had ceased to be a major power.
