Behavior Patterns of Austrian Civil Population and it's Envolvment in Border Defence during the Ottoman Invasions of 1529 and 1532.

The subject of this article is the behavior patterns of the civilian population that found itself in the combat zone during the invasion of the Ottoman troops into Austria in 1529 and 1532. The reasons for choosing the definite behavior pattern are considered, related to the peculiarities of the Ottoman military affairs in the early 16th century, with the effect of Austrian legislation and with the specific conditions in which civilians of Vienna, Lower Austria, Carinthia and Styria (in 1532 – Croatia too) found themselves. The author emphasises the evolution of the border defense system and its transformation into a single Military Border by the middle of the 16th century. The reserch is based on the analysis of published and archival documents (printed pieces and manuscripts), decrees, public whritings and memoirs. The results of this study are following: 1) the identification of the state institutions and laws that were established by the estates and the archduke in order to protect the economic viability and human resources of the state; 2) the emphasising of the role that the civilian population initially played in the defense against the invading forces (thereby ceasing to be truly "civil"); 3) the key factors on which the survival of refugees depended were identified, and a number of cases were studied in which ordinary people with no military background joined the garrisons of fortresses (on duty or voluntarily). Finally, it was revealed that, although the residents themselves preferred to avoid participation in hostilities and that the authorities tried to remove them from the combat zones, there were mechanisms for using civilians - in garrisons and in the militia. In 1529-1532, such episodes occurred regularly and until the middle of the 16th century, the assistance of peasants and townspeople was a significant element of border defense.

military history, 16th century, Habsburg monarchy, Austria, ottoman-habsburg wars, border defence, civil population, Military Border, siege of Vienna, frontier