ZAPOVJEDNICI BRODSKE TVRĐAVE I NAČELNICI GRADA BRODA U 18. I 19. STOLJEĆU
THE MILITARY COMMANDERS AND MAYORS OF BROD IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES

Summary/Abstract: This paper was written on the basis of original material from the War Archives in Vienna and relevant Croatian and foreign literature. [...] In the reigns of Maria Theresa and Joseph the authorities and jurisdictions of the military commanders in Brod were diminished. After the organisation of the regiments in the mid-18th century, the military commanders in Brod lost their power and influence over conditions in Slavonian Posavina because of the establishment of new military and political and diplomatic relations between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans. In the mid-18th century, Brod became a military community. The chief people of the community were the local magistrates (i.e., the headmen or mayors). Although they worked with very restricted authorities, only within the community, the military commanders still did not like them, even less the decisions they made, particularly if these impinged on military interests. Mutual intolerance and constant wrangling marked the relations between the Brod military commanders and the community magistrates or mayors. In the second half of the 18th century the military commanders were mainly involved in matters of a military nature – giving shape to the Brod baroque fortification, training of recruits, disciplining the garrison, preparations for war, sanitary supervision and so on. We were able to find out the names and surnames of most of them, or their military rank, the years of duty in Brod of some of them, and a few minor details. After the abolition of the Brod military community in 1786, up to 1820 the Brod military commanders once again decided about matters of a civil nature. Mostly these commanders were retired, or rather prominent officers on active service. It is true that from 1807 to 1820 they were helped in civilian affairs by the local officers. In Military Border Brod, the commanders of the fort (and the fort officers) retained their influence even after the proclamation of Brod as a military community in 1820, and retained this influence right down to the abolition of the Military Border in 1871, retired and influential officers being chosen for the office of mayor. Only after 1881 did the office of mayor become available to the leading citizens of Brod. The names of the commanders and mayors of Brod in the 18th and 19th centuries are listed in tables given in the paper. Research into the important and less important Brod military commanders and mayors also implies investigation of the particular social (Military Border) system in which they lived and worked. In future investigations, attention will be devoted to social structures and the general military and political relations in Brod na Savi in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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