| Serbian Free Corps | |
|---|---|
 Illustration of a volunteer | |
| Active | 1787 — 1791 |
| Disbanded | 1791 (Treaty of Sistova) |
| Country |  Habsburg monarchy |
| Allegiance | Habsburg Monarchy |
| Role | Serbian liberation and unification with the Habsburg Monarchy |
| Size | 5–8,000 |
| Garrison/HQ | InBanat Military Frontier |
| Nickname | frajkori |
| Engagements | Austro-Turkish War (1787–91): |
| Commanders | |
| Main commander | Mihailo Mihaljević, major |
| Notable commanders | Koča AnđelkovićStanko Arambašić andRadič Petrović |
TheSerbian Free Corps (German:Serbische Freikorps), known simply asfrajkori (Serbian Cyrillic:фрајкори), was a volunteermilitia composed of ethnicSerbs, established by theHabsburg monarchy, to fight theOttoman Empire during theAustro-Turkish War (1787–1791). The rebellion in theSanjak of Smederevo and militia's operations resulted in theperiod of Habsburg-occupied Serbia, which took place from 1788 to 1791. Ultimately, the Serbian volunteer corps had the legacy of promoting the creation of future paramilitaries, such as during theFirst Serbian Uprising.
A Serbianfreikorps of 5,000 soldiers had been established inBanat (Banat Military Frontier), composed of refugees that had fled earlier conflicts in the Ottoman Empire.[1] The Corps would fight for liberation of Serbia and unification under Habsburg rule.[1] The main commander was the Austrian majorMihailo Mihaljević.[2] There were several freikorps along the Habsburg-Ottoman frontier.[3] Mihaljević's Free Corps, the most notable, was active fromŠumadija toPodrinje, and across theMorava there was the Braničevo Free Corps; in Croatia the St. George Free Corps; in Bosnia they were calledSeressaner.[3] Other Serb militias were the Kozara Militia and Prosar Militia, established in Bosnia in 1788, composed of 1,000 soldiers each.[4]
Among volunteers wereAleksa Nenadović andKarađorđe Petrović,Stanko Arambašić and the prominentRadič Petrović and most distinguished of all,Koča Anđelković.[2] The Orthodox clergy in Serbia supported the rebellion.[5]
Koča's militia quickly took over Palanka andBatočina, attackedKragujevac, and reached the Constantinople road, cutting off the Ottoman army fromSanjak of Niš andSanjak of Vidin.[6]
The Austrians used the Corps in two failed attempts to seize Belgrade, in late 1787 and early 1788.[1]
According to a document from 6 November 1789, the Free Corps included:
with a total of 5,049 soldiers.[3]
Their uniforms were similar to that of the frontiersmen, with some changes.[7]
In 1793, the Austrians established the new free corps on the border, for Serbians and Bosnians.[7]
On the eve of theFirst Serbian Uprising, theUžice andSokol nahije established volunteer detachments, calledfrajkori, that had the task of sabotage against Ottoman military plans, and their concentration in this region of Serbia.[8]
prosarska i kozarska milicija
који је имао униформу налик граничарској, уз неке измене. Ти добровољци су имали: високе црне капе-чакове, кратку црну блузу с кратку црну блузу с црвеним гајтанима испод које је био прслук исте боје. Прслук је имао појас где су били задевани пишгаљи и ханџар. Чакшире су биле у облику пан- талона - које су се сужавале, налик коњичким брич-панталонама, које су падале преко високих црних цокула-ципела. Добровољци су носили пушку, хусарску сабљу, а на леђима ранац са каба- ницом и огртачем увијеним у ролну. Ова одећа је ипак при- лагођена Србима граничарима, да би је ови, са више воље носили и прихватили. Године 1793, Аустријанци формирају нови фрајкор "на гра- ници Турске" - за Србијанце и Босанце. Ови фрајкори били су, на згражавање Аустријанаца, веома шаролико одевени у широке панаталоне различитих боја, које су се ...