Original scientific paper
Organization of Continental and Maritime Defence in the State of Dubrovnik since Gaining Independence in 1358 till Arrival of the French in 1806
Ilija Mitić
; Institute for Historical Sciences of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Abstract
The State of Dubrovnik saved its independence over four centuries owing it not to its army but the geographic position as well as to the flexibility of its government to accommodate to the economic and political situation in the Balkans and the Mediterranean. That international position of Dubrovnik reflected to its military establishment used exclusively in defensive purposes. Therefore the army was necessary only for the guarding at the strategically important posts of the city and the state, for watching its frontiers and the maintenance of the internal peace.
The organization of the army in Dubrovnik was carried out the way that all grown-up men in the age from twenty to sixty were conscripts when necessary, while the members of memorial families were commanders only. Dubrovnik State didn’t have its regular army consisted of all conscripts, but its army composed of stable paid soldiers (paid outlandish soldiers-barabanti) and bombers (paid gunners). Upon that, according to the needs, there were temporary recruited paid soldiers (police) for regular and occassional safety guard. However, in case of a danger, all capable men were called out and remained there till the danger was over. The number of stable paid soldiers changed according to the occassions, needs and dangers that would threaten.
On account of easier and better management and the control of population the whole state territory was devided into principalities and captaincies.
Since the State of Dubrovnik had neither its regular steady army nor its permanent navy, it kept on providing its state-owned galleys and the other smaller ships with arms for the fighting with pirates. These armed ships were placed in Large and Small Arsenal of the city harbour as well as in the Arsenal of Mali Ston.
Keywords
defence; army; Dubrovnik Republic
Hrčak ID:
243004
URI
Publication date:
20.6.1987.
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