Sellswords companies in Westeros

[Forley Prester]

We are told that there are many Sellsword companies in Essos, with the Windblown, the Company of the Cat and the Long Lances being a few. But why are there none in Westeros? Most Sellswords in Westeros are usually on their own or in pairs, and surely there would be more protection in a company than as a singular sellsword. So why is there no sellsword company in Westeros? 

[Loose Bolt]

In Essos money talks, or there major source of power is gold and major players in there are rich people and cities.

In Westeros pedigree matters, or power belongs to major landholders. So by allowing existence of free companies lords would endanger status quo, bc by hiring mercs rich people and some rich towns and cities could challenge power of lords.

[Ahl of the House Cutler]

2 hours ago, Loose Bolt said:

In Essos money talks, or there major source of power is gold and major players in there are rich people and cities.

In Westeros pedigree matters, or power belongs to major landholders. So by allowing existence of free companies lords would endanger status quo, bc by hiring mercs rich people and some rich towns and cities could challenge power of lords.

Lords do hire mercs.  They are called hedge knights.

And Tywin hired The Brave Companions during the Wot5K.

[Loose Bolt]

11 hours ago, Ahl of the House Cutler said:

Lords do hire mercs.  They are called hedge knights.

And Tywin hired The Brave Companions during the Wot5K.

Yes, but most of soldiers in service of lords in Westeros are bound to land.

But I must type that I was very surprised that somehow Stannis found freeriders in north-western part of Westeros. So there seems to be some mercs even in the North.

But I assume that during peace times most lords would be hostile to any free company in their own lands and they would either exile or even wipe them out.

Edited yesterday at 11:36 AM by Loose Bolt
Typo

[John Suburbs]

20 hours ago, Forley Prester said:

We are told that there are many Sellsword companies in Essos, with the Windblown, the Company of the Cat and the Long Lances being a few. But why are there none in Westeros? Most Sellswords in Westeros are usually on their own or in pairs, and surely there would be more protection in a company than as a singular sellsword. So why is there no sellsword company in Westeros? 

The Free Cities have been at constant war with one another for centuries, so there has been steady demand for soldiers in Essos. After Maegor, Westeros has been largely at peace, save for the DoD and the first Blackfyre rebellion (the others were over pretty much before they even started), so any sellsword company would be sitting idle for decades at a time.

Plus, the Free Cities are city-states, which means they don't have wide tracts of land to raise levies from. The lords of Westeros do, so there is no reason for them to pay for additional, albeit more experienced, troops, especially if those troops could very well wind up in the camp of your enemy with the clink of a few coins.

[Universal Sword Donor]

12 hours ago, John Suburbs said:

The Free Cities have been at constant war with one another for centuries, so there has been steady demand for soldiers in Essos. After Maegor, Westeros has been largely at peace, save for the DoD and the first Blackfyre rebellion (the others were over pretty much before they even started), so any sellsword company would be sitting idle for decades at a time.

Wait what? Dagon Greyjoy, RR, the Skagos rebellion, the entire dornish wars, the stepstones, the faith militant, the Peake uprising, Aegon V reign, reynes and Tarbecks, vulture kings, Raymond redbeard, Mance Rayder, et al? There was major major fighting for decades at a time.

don't get me wrong, I think the realm was generally more peaceful under the Targaryens but I strenuously disagree with  the realm being so boring that the sellswords would have nothing to do for decades. Even Ser Arlan as well as Lady Webber said pissing contests happen all the time. 

12 hours ago, John Suburbs said:

Plus, the Free Cities are city-states, which means they don't have wide tracts of land to raise levies from. The lords of Westeros do, so there is no reason for them to pay for additional, albeit more experienced, troops, especially if those troops could very well wind up in the camp of your enemy with the clink of a few coins.

We know that the free cities have plenty of “hinterland” to grow crops and whatnot. Illyrio says as much himself, so the notion they don’t have the ability to raise levies isn’t accurate. They are just modeled after the Italian city states who had Miltias and hired professional free companies like the White Company

[James Steller]

22 hours ago, Loose Bolt said:

 

But I must type that I was very surprised that somehow Stannis found freeriders in north-western part of Westeros. So there seems to be some mercs even in the North.

 

I need to read it again, but didn’t Stannis bring the freeriders north with him from Dragonstone?