Banat Land Militia
The Banat Land Militia or Land Battalion was a militia of the Habsburg Monarchy active in the Banat of Temeswar and Banat Military Frontier between 1746 and 1773.
The Militia of the Banat of Temeswar was organized by graf de Mercy in 1724, led by Serbian veterans. In 1744–47 Engelshofen organized the Land Militia of Banat. Earlier, the ober-knezes of the Banat had, in sign of loyalty to Maria Theresa, raised a freikorps on their own expense that numbered 700 infantry and 106 Hussars, mostly ethnic Serbs. This volunteer unit was transformed into the Banat Land Militia, put under the command of hauptmann and obristlieutenant Simbschen. Simbschen was earlier the commandant, while ranked major, of the "Temesvárer Frei-Bataillon" volunteer unit established by the Banat knezes, that participated in the Succession War and was dissolved after the Treaty of Dresden. A part of that unit joined to form the Banat Land Militia. In 1746–47 the Banat Land Militia was planned to have four infantry companies and two Hussar companies. The Banat Military Frontier was established in 1751, and by 1752 the Landmiliz had 1841 men.
The Land Militia was made up of the Upper Companies and Lower Companies.
- Upper Companies, officer ranks made up of Tisa-Mureş Frontier ex-officers from Bačka.
- Lower Companies, after 1753 most officers were ex-members of the Nazionalmiliz and the Simbschen battalion.