EARLY CONTACTS BETWEEN THE SERBS AND THE HABSBURGS (TO THE BATTLE OF MOHACS)

Abstract

The contacts between the Serbs and the Habsburgs started around the middle of the 15th century. At that time the Habsburgs in the person of Albert of Austria first ascended the throne, while Serbs were fighting for the survival of their medieval state. Later the character of these contacts became different. Individual Serbian representatives, such as feudal lords who fled to the territory of Hungary and new leaders of warrior bands, made contacts with the Habsburgs offering them their military service. The definite breakthrough happened in the time after the Battle of Mohacs, when Ferdinand I Habsburg solidified his position on the throne of Hungary. This marked the beginning of a new period of very intensive contacts between the Serbs and the Habsburgs, which would mainly be made in the territory of the crumbled Hungarian Kingdom fighting for its survival.