The King’s Scots: The Swedish Crown’s Attempts to Utilise and Control William Cahun’s Cavalry Squadron in the Northern Seven Years’ War

William Cahun and his Scottish troop arrived at Swedish service in 1565. Cahun’s unit has been seen in the previous research as a starting point of continuous presence of Scottish troops in the Swedish military apparatus, but only little has been written about Cahun’s impact to Swedish-Scottish military network which developed through reigns of the early Vasa-kings. Not only was Cahun’s unit crucial for forming of this network but also a springboard for multiple Scottish officers of this unit who went to make their careers elsewhere in the Swedish military, further widening the network. By focusing on William Cahun’s troop, this chapter showcases how the relationship between the Swedish Crown and Cahun developed, sowing the seeds of the of Swedish-Scottish military network. The chapter discusses how the Swedish Crown tackled challenges related to recruiting, utilising and controlling Cahun’s unit in the theatre of war and how the Swedish Crown learned lessons from their experiences with Cahun.