Military Frontier

(Serbo-Croatian, vojna krajina; German, Militargrenze), a region of the Hapsburg monarchy bordering on Turkey; it was governed by a military administration.

The Military Frontier included part of Croatia and southern Hungary. It existed as a separate region beginning in the early 19th century. Directly subordinated to the Austrian government, the Military Frontier was divided into generalates and regimental, company, and communal districts. Most of the inhabitants of the Military Frontier were Serbs and Croats and were called granicars. They received a plot of land from the government, in return for which they did military and civilian services and paid taxes. In 1873 the Military Frontier was demilitarized and placed under civilian administration; in 1881 it was abolished.