Raiding, Pillaging, and Violent Social Change in Late Sixteenth-Century Livonia

The Livonian War was typical of early modern conflicts; the most widespread forms of violence were associated with raiding, pillaging, and plundering. Drawing upon wartime correspondences, chronicles, and archival records, this article explores the characteristics and consequences of those activities as practiced by both foreign invaders and hired mercenaries. Raiding and pillaging often have been treated as merely symptomatic of early modern warfare. This article demonstrates how their pervasiveness dictated tactical and strategic considerations, influenced military policy, and shaped civil-military relations. It also argues that prolonged exposure to wartime brutality could play a significant part in breaking down longstanding social mores, transforming societies, and normalizing violence.