Uskoks

Uskoks / Uskoci
Stitch with Uskok-ships chasing a large ship. Museum of Fortress Nehaj in Senj, Croatia.
Leaders	Numerous; notable leaders include: Petar Kružić (Klis) Ivan Lenković (Senj)
Dates of operation	1520s–1618
Headquarters	Mobile, two most famous: Klis Fortress in Klis (origin) Nehaj Fortress in Senj (later)
Active regions	Habsburg–Ottoman frontiers
Size	2,000 at most[when?][1]
Part of	Various / Undetermined: Croatian Habsburg soldiers Military frontier soldiers Piracy, irregular army
Opponents	Primarily Ottoman Empire, but also Republic of Venice and others

The Uskoks (Croatian: Uskoci, pronounced [ǔsko̞t͡si], singular: Uskok; notes on naming) were irregular soldiers in Habsburg Croatia^[2][3][4] that inhabited areas on the eastern Adriatic coast and surrounding territories during the Ottoman wars in Europe. Bands of Uskoks fought a guerrilla war against the Ottomans, and they formed small units and rowed swift boats. Since the uskoks were checked on land and were rarely paid their annual subsidy, they resorted to acts of piracy.

The exploits of the Uskoks contributed to a renewal of war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire (1570–1573). An extremely curious picture of contemporary manners is presented by the Venetian agents, whose reports on this war resemble a knightly chronicle of the Middle Ages. These chronicles contain information pertaining to single combats, tournaments and other chivalrous adventures.

Many of these troops served abroad. After a series of incidents that escalated into the Uskok War (1615–1618), the Uskok activity in their stronghold of Senj mostly ceased and were disbanded, but the usage of the term and their existence although more localized continued for a period of time.