Haramije (tur. haramî: bandit, outlaw < arap. ḥarāmiyy: outlaw, punk), were lightly armed
Croatian infantry. They were founded in 1539 to serve as a countermeasure against Ottoman incursions inside Croatian territory.
Context
Throughout the 16th century
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
and
Slavonia
Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...
suffered from frequent Ottoman
martolos
The ''martolos'' was an internal security force of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans ('' Rumelia''), mostly active between the 15th to 17th centuries. It initially constituted out of the local mostly Christian populations (Rum Millet), but over ti ...
raids. These Ottoman troops recruited from Balkan
Vlachs
"Vlach" ( or ), also "Wallachian" (and many other variants), is a historical term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate mainly Romanians but also Aromanians, Megleno-Romanians, Istro-Romanians and other Easter ...
(and others) usually made incursions deep inside Croatian-Slavonian territory, in order to kidnap people living there, take them back across Ottoman side of the border and then sell them on the
Ottoman slave markets.
Formation
Croatian-Slavonian Parliament, which assembled on 8 May 1539 in Dubrava issued the legislative to recruit 300 strong haramija force, also inspired by Ottoman martolos, and assemble them during the
summer
Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
and
autumn
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...
of this year.
They would be recruited by Croatian
ban
Ban, or BAN, may refer to:
Law
* Ban (law), a decree that prohibits something, sometimes a form of censorship, being denied from entering or using the place/item
** Imperial ban (''Reichsacht''), a form of outlawry in the medieval Holy Roman ...
(viceroy), who would then deploy them on appropriate locations throughout the country.
In order to pay for these new troops, the new taxes were also imposed.
Haramijas would then be deployed in
Croatian-Slavonian forts
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
throughout the country in order to pursue and intercept any Ottoman martolos, which they would encounter.
[{{Cite book , last=Mažuran , first=Ive , title=Hrvati i Osmansko Carstvo , publisher=Golden marketing , year=1998 , location=Zagreb , pages=96]
After foundation of
Ban's Frontier, haramije became integrated in its defense system. They were commanded by dukes or
Harambaša Harambaša ( sr-cyr, Харамбаша) was the rank for a senior commander of a ''hajduk'' band (brigand gangs).
Etymology
It is derived from Turkish word for bandit leader ( tr, haramibaşı; - "Bandit" + - "Head"), and was like some other Ot ...
s. Non-paid members of
people's army, who guarded Slavonian borders facing the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
were also dubbed as Haramijas. The unit was disbanded in 18th century, when Frontier Regiments were formed.
Notable haramijas
*
Ivan Andrija Makar
Ivan Andrija Makar of Makarska (c.1640–1700) was a 17th-century Croatian general, Habsburg Military Frontier commander, Križevci capitancy commander and haramije leader.
Biography
Makar was born in Kreževci, somewhere around 1640. He ...
References
Military history of Croatia
Military units and formations of Croatia
Military of Croatia