A soldier is an individual who has been conscripted or enlisted in a military force. A soldier may also be a mercenary, somebody who fights for money rather than for political or ideological reasons.
Most militaries throughout history have used conscription to fill their ranks, but mercenaries have also played an important role in many armies. In ancient times, mercenaries were often used by city-states as cheap and expendable troops. They were not expected to fight to the death like citizens-in-arms, but they could be counted on to provide a certain level of fighting ability and were usually less expensive than professional soldiers.
Mercenaries were also popular in medieval Europe. The Swiss Guard, which protected the Pope during the Renaissance, was composed of mercenaries from Switzerland. Many of these mercenary soldiers went on to form their own companies and kingdoms, such as the Medici family in Italy and the Borgia family in Spain.
In more modern times, mercenaries have been used by both governments and rebel groups. The British Army hired Gurkhas from Nepal as mercenaries during the 19th century, and Gurkha regiments continue to serve in the British Army today. In sub-Saharan Africa, rebel groups often use child soldiers as mercenariesto fight against government forces; these children are sometimes referred to as “child warriors”.