ÿþ<html> <head> <title> WHKMLA : Historical Dictionaries : Wars of the 17th/18th Centuries </title> <!-- copyright Alexander Ganse, 2005-2007 --> </head> <body bgcolor="lightblue" text="black" link="blue" vlink="red" alink="brown"> <style> <!-- A{ font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-face: arial; } --> </style> <DIV align ="center"> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../index.html"> <img src = "../../whkmla2.jpg" border = "0"></a></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width = "150" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> Timeline </b></font></TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../timelines/nhb/tlwarf.html"> <img src = "../../region/arrowleft.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../timelines/nhb.html"> <img src = "../banhistdic.jpg" border = "0"> </TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <img src = "../../region/arrowright.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD width = "100" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> </b></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <font size = "3" face = "arial"><B><i>First posted on April 17th 2005, last revised on August 29th 2007 </i></b></font><BR><BR><BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center" width = "900"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "5"><B> Historical Dictionaries : Warfare of the 17th/18th Centuries</B></font> <BR> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"><i> http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histdic/nhb/hdwarf1718.html </i></font> </B></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Note : The following is not intended to be a complete list of European wars in this era. For more complete lists, see Wars of the <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/17cenindex.html">17th</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/18cenindex.html">18th</A> century. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "adwars"><B>Anglo-Dutch Wars</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> A series of wars (<A HREF = "../../military/17cen/anglodutch1.html">1652-1654</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/anglodutch2.html">1665-1667</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/anglodutch3.html">1672-1674</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/anglodutch4.html">1780-1784</A>) fought not primarily over territory, but over supremacy on the seas and over England's <A HREF = "hdmerc.html#navact">Navigation Act</A>. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "bofpoltava"><B>Battle of Poltava</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Fought by the Swedish, Russian armies in 1709; <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A>'s victory which was to decide the <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#gnwar">Great Northern War</A> and end <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A>'s status as a great power. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Contribution</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> A sum of money demanded by an occupying power from an occupied town for saving the latter from being looted. Became general practice in the warfare of Absolutism. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "dwarlxiv"><B>Dutch War of Louis XIV.</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1672-1678; a war conceived by Louis XIV. to harm the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A>, then the wealthiest state in Europe. For that purpose, <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A> allied herself with England, <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A> and the Princebishoprics of <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xcologne.html">Cologne</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xmuenster.html">M&uuml;nster</A>; in the Dutch Republic, William III. of Orange staged a coup, took the office of stadholder; the French army was stopped by a partial flooding of the Netherlands. The <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xhre.html">Holy Roman Empire</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Brandenburg</A> allied themselves with the Dutch Republic; the war ended in a kind of draw, but had strained the Dutch Republic to an extent that it could no longer afford to play great power. Click <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/fdutch16721678.html">here</A> for more information </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "fnwar"><B>First Northern War</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1655-1660; began as a Swedish-Polish war; the Swedes invaded <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xpoland.html">Poland</A> and held a considerable part of it ("the Deluge"); the entry of <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xdenmark.html">Denmark</A> into the war, stiffening Polish resistance and the decision of the Maritime Powers to support Denmark forced <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A> to enter into a negotiated peace. Swedish military supremacy had resulted in severe crises both in Poland-Lithuania and in Denmark. Click <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/firstnorthern.html">here</A> for more information. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Fortresses</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> In the 17th century, city walls were no more suitable to withstand a siege. A few cities were fortified by a combination of city wall and a ring of Bastions; from a birds eye view they looked like stars. The area outside city walls and bastions, in case of an advancing army, was cleared of any obstacle in order to deny the enemy of potential cover; this cleared area was referred to as Glacis. <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A> lead fortress construction technology, the most famous fortress architect having been Vauban. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Garrison</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Living quarters with arms depot, exercising ground for units of a <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#standingarmies">Standing Army</A>, often within a fortress, also serving to ensure control over a certain area. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "gnwar"><B>Great Northern War</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1700-1721, facing <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A> against <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xdenmark.html">Denmark</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xpoland.html">Poland</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xsaxony.html">Saxony</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A> and since 1715, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Brandenburg-Prussia</A>. Although outnumbered and surrounded, Sweden dominated the war until defeated by the Russians in the Battle of Poltava. The war was concluded only after the death of Sweden's King Charles XII. in <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xnorway.html">Norway</A> 1718; Sweden had to cede <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xlivonia.html">Livonia</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xestonia.html">Estonia</A> and Ingria, and no longer as a great power. Click <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/greatnorthern.html">here</A> for more information. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Habsburg-Ottoman Wars</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Wars fought in <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/habsbott16631664.html">1663-1664</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/habsbott16831699.html">1683-1699</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/austott17161718.html">1716-1718</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/austott17371739.html">1737-1739</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/austott17881791.html">1788-1791</A>. By far the most important was the war of <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/habsbott16831699.html">1683-1699</A>. The Ottoman Siege of Vienna triggered a combined German-Polish relief action; afterward, Habsburg forces conquered Ottoman Hungary from the <A HREF = "../../region/asmin/xottoman.html">Ottoman Empire</A>. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Maritime Powers</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> The <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/britain/xuk.html">England</A>. While they fought the <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#adwars">Anglo-Dutch Wars</A>, often they took combined action because of common interest, for instance in the <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#fnwar">First Northern War</A>, when they supported <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xdenmark.html">Denmark</A> in order to secure corn shipments through the Sound, in the <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#wargrandall">War of the Grand Alliance</A> and in the <A HREF = "hdwar1718.html#warspansucc">War of Spanish Succession</A> in order to contain <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>. From 1689 to 1702 they even were in a Personal Union, both ruled by William III. of Orange. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Military Academies</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> In <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, Madame Pompadour was instrumental in the establishment of the Ecole Militaire de St. Cyr (opened 1756). The school was intended to graduate military officers; among her graduates Napoleon Bonaparte. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Recruitment</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Soldiers were poorly paid, harshly treated and faced brutal punishment in case of violation of discipline. Recruiters went to public places, where they handed out free glasses of wine. Men who accepted the offer were pattred on the back by the recruiter - this act was interpreted as enlisting in the army. Often, force was applied to press individuals into the army. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Russo-Ottoman Wars</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> A series of wars fought <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/russturk171113.html">1710-1711</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/russturk173539.html">1735-1739</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/russturk176874.html">1768-1774</A>, <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/russturk178791.html">1787-1791</A>. <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A> had long been exposed to episodic raids of the <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xcrimea.html">Crimean Tatars</A>, who since 1475 were vassalls of the <A HREF = "../../region/asmin/xottoman.html">Ottoman Empire</A>. In the later 18th century, the Russians pursued a policy of expansion toward the Black Sea. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Scaling</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> An attempt to take a city by surprise, having the walls scaled at night. Siege was time-consuming and costly. Famous was the <A HREF = "../../region/italy/xpiemont.html">Savoyard</A> attempt to take Geneva (escalade 1602). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "7yearswar"><B>Seven Years' War</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1756-1763, facing <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Prussia</A> and the United Kingdom against <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A>. Actually two wars in one - an Anglo-French war fought on the oceans (in North America, where it is called the French and Indian War), in the Caribbean, in West Africa and in India (Battle of Plassey 1757), and a European land war fought because of Maria Theresia's desire to take revenge on Frederick II. of Prussia for taking Silesia in 1742/1745. The Prussians, despite initial successes, caved in under the numerical superiority of their opponents and were saved by the death of Russian Empress Elizabeth; her successor Peter III. switched sides, allowing Frederick to sign a peace treaty on the basis of status quo ante. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "standingarmies"><B>Standing Armies</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> A permanent army; until introduced by Louis XIV. in France, countries / rulers maintained armies under arms only as long as necessary, disbanding them often when peace negotiations were under way, but not yet signed. <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Brandenburg-Prussia</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A>, Savoy-Piemont maintained such standing armies; for a number of smaller German principalities these armies provided their raison d'etre; their regiments often were rented by other powers in need of soldiers; for instance the regiment of <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xhkassel.html">Hessen Kassel</A> serving for the British in the American War of Independence. The rise of Brandenburg-Prussia and of <A HREF = "../../region/italy/xpiemont.html">Savoy-Piemont</A> is founded on the importance of their armies. The decline of the oly Roman Empire, <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xpoland.html">Poland-Lithuania</A> and the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A> may be explained by their lack of a standing army. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Subsidies</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> In late 17th and 18th century European warfare, <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/britain/xuk.html">England</A> could finance their own wars; <A HREF = "../../region/spain/xspain.html">Spain</A>, the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A> lost their status as great powers because they, from one point on, could no longer afford to finance a large military budget; <A HREF = "../../region/scandinavia/xsweden.html">Sweden</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A> were great powers who, in coalition wars, heavily depended on foreign subsidies (payments to finance part of their military expenses in wartime). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "waramind"><B>War of American Independence</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1776-1783. In 1780 <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/spain/xspain.html">Spain</A> declared war againt the <A HREF = "../../region/britain/xuk.html">United Kingdom</A>; the French, by preventing the British fleet from entering Chesapeake Bay during he siege of Yorktown, played a decisive role. The United Kingdom refused to sign a peace with the Dutch in 1783, aiming at eliminating the Dutch fleet (4th Anglo-Dutch War). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "waraustsucc"><B>War of Austrian Succession</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> A situation Emperor Charles VI., with considerable effort (Pragmatic Sanction) had tried to avoid. Upon his death, his daughter Maria Theresia succeeded; her succession being contested by the Duke of <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xbavaria.html">Bavaria</A>; Bavarian, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xsaxony.html">Saxon</A>, Prussian and French armies invaded. <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A> recovered from the initial blow, defeating the Bavarians, satisfying Frederick the Great by ceding Silesia to <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Prussia</A>, driving the French back into <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>. In the later phase of the war, the center of action moved into the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xbelgium.html">Austrian Netherlands</A>. Overall an Austrian victory. Click <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/austsucc.html">here</A> for more information </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "wardev"><B>War of Devolution</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Following the death of King Philip IV. of <A HREF = "../../region/spain/xspain.html">Spain</A>, Louis XIV. claimed Spanish territory and in 1667 the French invaded the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xbelgium.html">Spanish Netherlands</A>. The Spanish were unable to defend themselves; Spain ceded part of the Spanish Netherlands to <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>. Click <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/devolution.html">here</A> for more information </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "wargrandall"><B>War of the Grand Alliance</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1689-1697, also called the Nine Years War or the War of the League of Augsburg. Facing France and her <A HREF = "hdabs.html#wittelsbachdyn">Wittelsbach</A> allies against <A HREF = "../../region/britain/xuk.html">England</A>, the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A>, the <A HREF = "http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/germany/xhre.html">Empire</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Brandenburg-Prussia</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/italy/xpiemont.html">Savoy-Piemont</A>. The coalition was brought together by William III. of Orange, the main opponent of Louis XIV. The English and Dutch paid subsidies to the Emperor to keep him in the war. Click <A HREF = "../../military/17cen/grandall.html">here</A> for more information </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "warpolsucc"><B>War of Polish Succession</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1733-1738 (the war, in effect, was concluded in 1735). <A HREF = "../../region/eceurope/xpoland.html">Poland</A> was an elective monarchy (with the voters often bribed by foreign interest). <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A> supported he losing candidate, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A> and <A HREF = "../../region/russia/xrussia.html">Russia</A> the winner, Augustus III., Duke Elector of <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xsaxony.html">Saxony</A>. Stanislas Lesczinsky was made Duke of <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xlorraine.html">Lorraine</A>; the ex-duke Charles Francis was made Duke of <A HREF = "../../region/italy/xtuscany.html">Tuscany</A>. <A HREF = "../../region/spain/xspain.html">Spain</A> made gains in Italy. Click <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/polsucc.html">here</A> for more information. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <A NAME = "warspansucc"><B>War of Spanish Succession</B></A> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1701-1713 (1714), fought between <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xbavaria.html">Bavaria</A> against <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/italy/xpiemont.html">Savoy-Piemont</A>, the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xnederland.html">Dutch Republic</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/britain/xuk.html">England</A>, <A HREF = "../../region/germany/xprussia.html">Brandenburg-Prussia</A>. The French supported the claim of <A HREF = "hdabs.html#bourbondyn">Bourbon</A> Duke Philippe of Orleans on the Spanish throne, the allies the claim of <A HREF = "hdabs.html#habsburgdyn">Habsburg</A> Duke Charles; When, by the death of his brother, Duke Charles unexpectedly became Emperor and ruler over <A HREF = "../../region/germany/ahindex.html">Austria</A>, he lost the support of the Maritime Powers. The candidate supported by <A HREF = "../../region/france/xfrance.html">France</A> prevailed in <A HREF = "../../region/spain/xspain.html">Spain</A>; Austria gained territory in Italy and the <A HREF = "../../region/lowcountries/xbelgium.html">Southern Netherlands</A>. Click <A HREF = "../../military/18cen/spansucc.html">here</A> for more information </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> <B>Yanissaries</B> </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Elite corps of the <A HREF = "../../region/asmin/xottoman.html">Ottoman</A> army, consisting of mainly the children of christian families educated in Turkish language and Islamic faith, out of the ranks of whom Ottoman administrators traditionally were selected. In the 18th century the Yanissary regiments lost much of their effectivity on the battlefield. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "left" valign = "center" width = "700"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"> PRINTED REFERENCE : <BR> David Eggenberger, An Encyclopedia of Battles, NY : Dover (1967) 1985, KMLA Lib. Call Sign <B>R 904.7 E29a</B> </font></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> </DIV> </DIV> <DIV align="center"> <A href="mailto:aganse@hotmail.com"> <IMG src="../../email.gif" border="0"></a><BR> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <!-- Start of CH Counter --> <script type="text/javascript"> //<!-- // chCounter v2.0.0 // settings: cstatus = "active"; visible = "0"; path_to_counterfile = "http://www.zum.de/whkmla/counter/counter.php"; urlhp = "http://www.zum.de"; //////////////// url = unescape(location.href); file = url.substring(url.lastIndexOf(urlhp) + urlhp.length, url.length); file = (file.charAt(0) != "/") ? 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