Morlachs (Venetian irregulars)

Morlachs
Participant in the Cretan War (1645–69) and the Great Turkish War (1683–99)
Active	1645–1699
Ideology	Christianity
Leaders	See list
Area of operations	Dalmatian hinterland
Strength	1,500 (Cretan War)
Part of	Venetian army
Allies	Republic of Venice
Opponents	Ottoman Empire

The Morlach troops was an irregular military group in the Dalmatian hinterland, composed of "Morlachs", that was hired by the Republic of Venice to fight the Ottoman Empire during the Cretan War (1645–69) and the Great Turkish War (1683–99).

The leaders, called harambaša (tr. "bandit leader") and serdar ("commander-in-chief"), held several titles in Venetian service.

With the Cretan War (1645–69), a solid organization was needed, with an officer commanding over several harambaše. At first this position was undetermined. Priest Stjepan Sorić is mentioned as "governator delli Morlachi", Petar Smiljanić as "capo", Vuk Mandušić as "capo direttore", and Janko Mitrović as "capo principale de Morlachi", Jovan Dračevac as "governator" etc. This "Uskok" or "Morlach" army had less than 1,500 fighters.

The rebel fighters are enumerated in Croatian, and Serbian epic poetry, of which there is a cyclus.

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