International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION Vol. XXVI No 3 2020 FAVORABILITY OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE LOCATION OF THE SECOND BORDER REGIMENT FROM NĂSĂUD (1762), BISTRIȚA- NĂSĂUD COUNTY, ROMANIA Lia-Maria CIOANCA "Babeș-Bolyai" University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania [email protected] Abstract: The political-military context of the time required finding an urgent solution to stop the mass emigration over the mountains, which decreased the productive and contributing population. Thus, the massive emigration of the Romanian population had to be stopped, the contact too close between the two sides of the Carpathians had to be broken and this permanent popular osmosis was deemed necessary to be established, the borders had to be better secured and under the relation of the economic exchanges, of the smuggling, of the customs regime, of the mercantilism practiced by the regime, it was absolutely necessary to prevent the penetration of the plagues from the East, which became endemic, decimating the population; this led to the establishment of border regiments. In elaborating this study I used the qualitative method in order to interpret the historical events of the time, an important role in the research undertaken having direct observations made in the field to inventory strategically and militarily favorable geographical areas for the location of the Second Border Regiment, but also in order to evaluate the existing tourist resources, to capitalize on them by the inhabitants of the area and to have an impact on potential tourists. Following the study, I was able to see the beneficial role that the border regiment had on the belonging communes, as well as the positive impact on the community by implementing a much more advanced stage of development. Keywords: political context, border regiment, militarization, recruiting area 1. The need to establish border regiments command of the province could only in the conditions of the politico-military oppose two infantry regiments and one context of the time cavalry regiment that existed at that time in Once in Transylvania, the Austrians began Transylvania [6]. to organize this new province from a In such critical circumstances for the military point of view. Thus, the first border Empire, the establishment of border regiments were established at the end of the regiments in Transylvania was more than 17th century (1690) along the Tisza and necessary. The strengthening of the borders Mureș rivers, which marked the border of of the Empire, by setting up new regiments the Habsburg Empire. The organization of in southern and eastern Transylvania, the entire military border was achieved only enlarged that military cordon that started between 1760-1780, when, during the wars from the Adriatic Sea, passed through the with Prussia, the Habsburg Empire was Iron Gates, and now continues on the threatened by an attack from Russia, which Carpathian ridges reaching the area of had concluded a military convention with Galicia. This action with deep implications Prussia in 1762. In the event of a Russian in the socio-political life of the Grand attack in Transylvania, the military Principality of Transylvania, was initiated DOI: 10.2478/kbo-2020-0118 © 2015. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License. 79 by the Court of Vienna, during the third district is located on Mureş and Şieu and it decade of Empress Maria Theresa’s reign is suitable for winter crops. (1740-1780), and the establishment of There are gold ores, lead in the mines of border regiments, aimed both at Rodna Veche, salt, excellent construction strengthening the military border, and mill stone, finer and more viscous clay, improving the recruitment system, and at mineral springs at Rodna and Sângeorz. diminishing the power of the Hungarian The smallest part of the district gives nobility, as well as removing a large part of summer and winter wheat to the entire the territory and population of Transylvania border district, but also barley, oats, rye, from its domination [6]. rice, corn, millet, beans, lentils, potatoes, vegetables, fruits especially plums, then 2. Border regiments in Transylvania in flax, hemp, wood for construction, the 18th century carpentry and fire, also fodder and some 2.1. Favorability of the geographical herbs [1]. Animal production is very environment in the location of the important, especially small mountain Transylvanian military border horses, but resistant, horned, goats, many The district of the 2nd Romanian Regiment sheep, birds and wild animals, bears, was located in the North of the great wolves, foxes, lynx, birds of prey, including Principality of Transylvania and was the eagle. Năsăud had a square on the composed of two parts separated from each Someş river, it was the central headquarters, other by provinces. The largest part of the the headquarters of the colonel, of the district consisted of the districts of Năsăud, lieutenant colonel, of the second major, of Rodna and Borgo Prund and was bordered the episcopal vicar, there was a military to the North by Maramureş, the Duchy of institute for the two border regiments, a Bukovina and a small part of the gymnasium and a communal school. Rodna Principality of Moldova, to the South by the had a famous market in the Rodna Valley, it districts of Sächsisch Regen, Bistriţa and was the resort of a company, it owned gold Beclean, and to West by Dej county, and and lead mines and a source of mineral the smaller part of the circle district of Şieu water; Sângeorz-Băi also had a source of Mare, which was limited only to the mineral water; Borgo Prund had a market, a community of the Şieu Mare district [1]. trivial German school, a paper mill, and The area was 68 square miles. The most was the headquarters of the second major; important rivers and streams of the at Borgo Suseni on the Bistriţa River, fine regiment are: the Someş river; the very fish- wool hats were made, there were salt rich stream of Sălăuţa; Rebra creek; the Ilva springs and a stone quarry [1]. brook, and Bistriţa river, on the Bârgăului 2.2. Brief history of the regiment, its valley . In the smallest part of the district formation and operation are the Mureş river, the Şieu and Luţu The Second Border Regiment from Năsăud rivers. Most of the District is surrounded in or the Second Infantry Regiment of the the West, North and East by the high Wallachian border guards no. 17 from mountains of the Carpathians, which are Năsăud (2nd Walachen known as the spurs of Rodna, Lăpuş and Grenzinfanterieregiment), named since Gheorgheni and which make the whole 1848 and Regiment II no. 17 Romanian district poor and very uncultivable, the border guards, was a military unit of the highest mountains being Tibleş, Ineu and Austrian army in Transylvania in the Heniu Mare. The most fruitful are the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, valleys and hills on the right bank of the consisting almost entirely of Romanians Someş, then on the Bârgăului valley at from these places [2]. Borgo Rus [1]. The smallest part of the 80 The regiment was established on April 12, established together with the Romanian 1762 (according to some sources on April Dragon Regiment, recruited from the same 16, 1762), following an imperial decree area. In the third decade of Empress Maria issued by the Empress of Austria, Augusta Theresa's reign, the Vienna Court decided Maria Theresia, which provided for the to set up border regiments in Transylvania. establishment of "border militias", in On July 5, 1761, Cavalry General Adolf German Siebenbürgische Militärgrenze, Nikolaus von Buccow was commissioned established by the authorities imperial to carry out the mission, whose project was cordon sanitaire at the southern border of approved by the Empress on April 16, the Principality of Transylvania [2]. In 1762. The Border Guard Regiment was Transylvania, two regiments of Romanian organized into 12 companies, each based on border guards, two regiments of Szekler recruitment in well-established villages. border guards, a regiment of Romanian The recruitment area of the regiment had an dragons and a regiment of Szekler hussars area of 3,195 km2 on the current territory of were to be set up. The II Romanian Border Bistrița-Năsăud county [2]. Guard Regiment from Năsăud was Figure 1: The disposition of the border regiments in Transylvania in 1817 [2] The border guards' obligations were to represented. It bore the inscription of the defend the Transylvanian border in motto of the regiment: "Virtus Romana peacetime, including sanitary duties, in case Rediviva". This motto was also inscribed on of quarantine against infectious-contagious the flags of the regiment's battalions, on the diseases (plague, cholera, etc.), and to flag of the Nasaud National Military participate in battles with the Austrian Institute and on all the official seals of the regular army during the war,wherever they regiment. Each company was entrusted would have been sent. The border guards with guarding a well-defined area of the were free, tax-free people in exchange for border. The border was guarded both at their military service. Enlistment in the fixed points, pickets or cordons, and by border guard regiments was conditioned by patrolling in shifts and at different times, the Austrians, at one point, by the depending on the importance of the route mandatory transition to the Greek Catholic [5]. In 1848, following the outbreak of the religion. The headquarters of the regimental Transylvanian revolution, the people of the commander was established in Năsăud. border district declared in Năsăud that they The Second Regiment (no. 17) Romanian remained loyal to the Emperor of Austria border guards from Năsăud had a flag on and that they would fight against the which the Austrian imperial eagle was Hungarian revolutionaries in Transylvania 81 and Hungary.