Šajkaši

Tschaikisten, also Nassadisten ( serb. Šajkaši ), called the river sailors, whose responsibilities included the security of the Port of Belgrade and the ports on the border with the Ottoman Empire. The name is derived from a type of boat used on the rivers of the Balkan Peninsula and was basically used for this particular group of people, regardless of whether the Christian or on Ottoman side did him In hearing service. Accordingly, the Ottoman river sailors are often called Nassadisten especially in the older literature.

History

On the Christian side, they were at first the Kingdom of Hungary and later the Habsburg Empire. They were a special military status granted. In the Battle of Petrovaradin anno 1526 ( shortly before the Battle of Mohács ) the Tschaikisten proposed under the command of the Serbian despots Radič Bozic successfully the Ottoman Danube fleet.

In contrast, one reason for the Ottoman conquest of Belgrade in 1521 is seen to fight in the refusal of the Tschaikisten since them their pay was not paid for years.

After the conquest of Hungary many Serbian Tschaikisten were settled in present-day Slovakia and explained to them the Austrian Tschaikistenflotte. Tschaikisten were an integral part of the Austrian Danube fleet. According to the Austrian conquest of Hungary and present-day Vojvodina also a Tschaikistenprovinz was launched, the Šajkaška in Backa.

The nave of the Tschaikisten was the so-called Tschaike, also called Nassade, Nassare or Wet, a flat rowing boat that could be used for combat and transport purposes. It usually also had a mast with sail and usually had a crew of up to 30 men. Has it been used as a war vehicle, it was usually in addition with a gun ( gun Sayka, see Topçu ) equipped.

References and Notes

• Military Association ( historical )
• Austrian Military History
• Serbian Military History
• Hungarian Military History