Werner von Veringen (10 November 1274-) was the leader of the Great Company, a band of German mercenaries that was active in the early 14th century.
Biography[]
Werner von Veringen was born in the Holy Roman Empire in 1274, and he became the captain of the Great Company in 1308. Von Veringen could muster a large mercenary army, and he was hired by Duke Frederick IV of Austria to assist him with his fight against the Duchy of Bavaria in 1311. He defeated the Bavarians at the Battle of Wittelsbach before assisting the Austrians in their capture of several Bavarian cities, and he quickly became a favorite commander of Duke Frederick. Frederick would effectively make Great Company his standing army, hiring them to assist him with his seizure of power as Holy Roman Emperor, and he later used the company to battle against Lombardy, France, Poland, and other enemies of the empire.