The French Wars of Religion were marked by the massive use of foreign troops by all sides between 1562 and 1598. These “mercenaries”, who came from neighbouring countries, left a lasting mark on the memory of the civil wars. They remained the symbol of greed and violence, indifferent to the kingdom’s religious divide. For them, the kingdom was said to be simply an opportunity to make a profit by selling their services to the highest bidder. However, this sinister image is a partisan construction whose origins date back to the very time of the conflicts. The polemicists of the time strove to erase any form of confessional motivation or solidarity with their French co-religionists, whether Catholic or Protestant. These authors created a literary figure that served above all to attack their political opponents. This portrait was then taken up by nineteenth-century nationalists, who adapted it to give historical depth to the xenophobia of the time. In this vein, historiography remains largely dependent on this vision, which does not stand up to cross-reading of French and foreign sources. The opening up of European sources suffice to undermine this unnuanced portrait and invites us to re-examine the relationship between the financial interests and religious convictions of mercenaries.