A Brief History of Freelancing
Being someone who uses research as a part of her daily life and work, it was inevitable that I was going to get curious about the history of my chosen profession. Surprisingly, the concept of freelancing actually goes back much further than many people think. To give you a better idea of what I mean, let’s walk through a basic timeline of events that led up to the invention of freelancing as the modern career we recognize.
In 1819, with the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, a word arrived in the English language record to refer to medieval soldiers who freely gave the services of their shields, swords, and lances to any nation or person — usually a noble — who could pay them the most. These mercenaries, as we would call them in modern times, took up the title of Free Lances.
“I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances, and he refused them — I will lead them to Hull, seize on shipping, and embark for Flanders; thanks to the bustling times, a man of action will always find employment.”
– Chapter 34 of Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott.
Over time, the term “free lance” came to refer to an unaffiliated politician (we’d called them “independents,” now). Eventually, the…
