Original scientific paper
The Slavonian Military Frontier in 1577 - A Contribution to the Demographic Study of Slavonian Military Units (Migrations, Etymology, Croatian Identity)
Filip Šimunjak
orcid.org/0000-0002-2939-5136
; Graduate Study Program of History, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a demographic inquiry into the 1577 Slavonian Military Frontier military payrolls (ger. Muster Liste). The document is a proto-statistical list which abounds in data conducive to several levels of research. At the first level of analysis, the author reconstructs the place of origin of frontier soldiers. He establishes whether most soldiers listed in the 1577 payroll were of Slavic heritage and whether there were any differences in heritage between field and fortress units. The second level of analysis pertains to the question of Croatian identity of those individuals dubbed »H(o)rvati« [Croats] in the source. This particular name is contextualized within the wider integrative process of the Kingdoms of Croatia and Slavonia into a single political unit. Finally, the third level of analysis deals with the etymology of soldiers’ names, listing the most popular ones. The paper features several maps and tables which allow for the visualization of the findings.
Keywords
Military Frontier payroll; Military Frontier; Slavonian Military Frontier; Early Modern period; historical demography; historical migrations; first names; 16th century; 1577
Hrčak ID:
278987
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2021.
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