За честта на хабсбургския пагон. Загубата на Ниш и екзекуцията на генерал Доксат през 1738 г.
For The Honor of the Habsburg Epaulet. The Loss of Niš and the Execution of General Doxat in 1738

Summary/Abstract: 1. The Habsburg Monarchy joined the conflict between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the summer of 1737. Charles VI, the ally of the Russian State, wanted to expand his lands towards the center of South Eastern Europe. The fortress of Niš became the first target of the Emperor’s army and in July 1737 the Ottoman garrison gave up the city. The hopes for future easy victories however did not materialize and the front became stable. The Ottomans even succeeded in organizing a counter offensive in autumn of the same year forcing the Habsburg army to retreat. In October 1737 Doxat de Morez, the commander of the fortress of Niš, started negotiations with the enemy and surrendered the city to the Ottomans without any resistance. Soon after that General Doxat was arrested and handed over to a Military Court. In the spring of 1738 he was found guilty of treason, sentenced to death and beheaded in Belgrade. 2. The execution of officers who acted as cowards damaging in that way the army they serve is not an exception in military history. At first glance the above mentioned case is clear and the death sentence seems logical. If we turn to the details however there is evidence that besides the military motivation there are also other arguments involved therein. The execution of the General was also bound to calm down the enraged public in the Habsburg Monarchy, as well as to cover up the more serious blunders within the high military planing. If the problem is to uphold the authority of the leading Generals, of persons around the Emperor himself or of his relatives, the sacrifice of an ordinary General could hardly have caused discussions within the decision-makers in the Habsburg Monarchy. 3. The measures to discipline the Emperor’s army produced no lasting effect. The conflict ended with the peace of Belgrade in 1739, which was disgraceful for the Habsburgs. It is true that the treaty did not turn into “execution” for the Danubian Monarchy.

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