Нови подаци о фрајкорском капетану Сави Демелићу
New Data about the Freicorps Captain Sava Demelić

Summary/Abstract: The issue of the distribution of the Turkish territories in Europe was opened by the 1774 Kučuk-Kajnardži peace, as well as all the weight of the problem that will become known as “The Eastern Question” in European historiography. The newly strengthened Russia wanted to play a great role in the final solution, as it had the Habsburg monarchy as her ally. Following the so-called “Greek Project” from1782, and the agreement between the Russian Empress Catherine the Great and the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, the war with Turkey became unavoidable. Russia entered it in 1787, and Austria in 1788, as the Russian ally. Many Serb volunteers took part in this war on the Austrian side, and they formed special units, called Freicorps. The Prince of Vršac, people’s captain Sava Demelić, took part in one of them (the Freicorps of theMajor Jovan Branovački), and he was noted for his accomplishments in Serbia and Vlaška.He received several awards for bravery,which is attested by several receipts issued by the Emperor’s Generals (Werthensleben, Papila). Documents about this, in historiography poorly known person, are in the Archive of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, in the Fund of the Illyrian Court Chancery, and one of the main documents is by Sava Demelić himself, describing his activities in these years, when he applied for the title of the Hungarian noble in 1791, is presented here, based on the German language original.

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