Hajduk

A hajduk (Hungarian: hajdúk, plural of hajdú 'foot-soldier') was initially a type of irregular infantry found in Central, Eastern, and parts of Southeast Europe from the late 16th to mid 19th centuries. Eventually the term was used for armed outlaws. The two categories share a reputation ranging from bandits to freedom fighters, depending on time, place, and their enemies. In the European lands of the Ottoman Empire, the term hajduk was used to describe bandits and brigands of the Balkans, while in Central Europe for the West Slavs, Hungarians, and Germans, and Eastern Europe for the Ukrainians, it was used to refer to outlaws who protected Christians against provocative actions by the Ottomans. The term originates from Hajdú County of the Kingdom of Hungary. By the 17th century they were firmly established in the Ottoman Balkans, owing to increased taxes, Christian victories against the Ottomans, and a general decline in security. Hajduk bands typically consisted of ten to thirty men, exceptionally up to one hundred, with a clear hierarchy under a single leader. They targeted Ottoman representatives and rich people, mainly rich Turks, for plunder, punishment of oppressive Ottomans, revenge, or a combination of all. In Balkan folkloric tradition, the hajduk is a romanticised hero figure who steals from, and leads his fighters into battle against, the Ottoman authorities. People that helped hajduks were called jataks. Jataks lived in villages and towns and provided food and shelter for hajduks. In return, hajduks would give them part of the loot. The hajduk of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries commonly were as much guerrilla fighters against the Ottoman rule as they were bandits and highwaymen who preyed not only on Ottomans and their local representatives, but also on local merchants and travellers. As such, the term could also refer to any...