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Bulwark of Europe is a project studying the early history of the Croatian and Slavonian Military Frontiers, covering the period from the 1550s until the Diet in Bruck an der Mur in 1578. The aim of the project is to bring the Military Frontier to wider audiences in an interesting and interactive way.

Our primary interest lies in creating interactive maps depicting the garrison size of individual fortresses. The maps are based on data found in the dozen or so payrolls listing the number of soldiers on the Croatian and/or Slavonian Military Frontiers. The website also features essays on Frontier fortresses, accompanied by sketches and paintings (if possible), as well as statistics on changes in garrison size.

To grasp the full picture, we must track the development of both the Military Frontier and its postal system, which played a crucial role in defending the territory. Early payrolls (dating back to the 1550s) list individual commanders and postmen, whose biographies we have been attempting to reconstruct. The project is based on data found in some dozen military payrolls

The project grew out of a module co-ordinated by Nataša Štefanec, PhD, and taught at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. The module, entitled “Uvod u istraživački rad” [“Introduction to Research Methods”], saw students transcribing and analysing the earliest recorded military payroll (Kriegsstaat), dating back to 1556 and written in blackletter [“deutsche Schrift”]. We have created an interactive map of the Military Frontier as it was in 1556 (using Google Maps), as well as a table systematising the data found in the payrolls. Project members have also written an introductory study and reconstructed the personal histories of commanders.

Over the course of next year, the project will focus on the 16th century. Team members are actively working on locating archaeological sites and have already suggested corrections to existing interpretations. We have also been writing essays on various topics, such as: Frontier fortresses, Frontier and postal system development, scouts, and commanders. We wish to stress the importance of archival work. For this reason we have been browsing online bases of local and regional archives (such as those of the Croatian State Archives in Zagreb) in search of historical sources (maps, correspondence, etc.).

Some of the team members have also attempted to perfect their mastery of 3D modeling – we wish to reconstruct as many fortresses as possible, with the aim of bringing the Military Frontier to wider audiences.

This website serves as a database which we plan on enriching in the coming years. We envision it as a valuable resource for researchers, but also as a place where students and teachers can learn more about the Military Frontier with the help of state-of-the-art digital technology. We hope that what has been accomplished will encourage new contributors to get involved!