Osprey Men-at-Arms 323 : The Austrian Army (1) 1836-1866 : Infantry

In the mid-19th century, 'Austria' referred to a heterogeneous multi-ethnic Empire, composed of four main areas: the Austrian or 'German' part [the Austrian Crown Hereditary and Bohemian Lands, the Kingdoms of Galicia, Illyria and Dalmatia]; the Hungarian part [the Kingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia, and the Grand Duchy of Transylvania]; the Military Border [Militär-Grenze]; and the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The Austrian Crown Lands were at the same time part of the German Confederation [Bund], which secured Austria's membership and influence in this loose union of 39 German states established in 1815. It was not easy to create a unified and up-to-date military system in an Empire consisting of so many different parts, especially with remnants of feudalism still strong in some provinces. Recruits were obtained both by voluntary enlistment and by conscription, although the many exemptions excluded the upper and middle classes. Officers were professional soldiers who had either graduated from one of the military schools or academies, or had enlisted as cadets. Darko Pavlovic examines the organisation, uniforms and equipment of Austrian infantry from 1836-66 accompanied by many illustrations and photographs, including eight full page colour plates by the author himself. A companion book to Men-at-Arms 329 : The Austrian Army (2) 1836-1866 : Cavalry.

Contents

• The Empire and Its Army
• Line Infantry
• Grenz Infantry
• Jagers
• Bibliography
• The Plates