South-east Europe is one of the most neglected fronts of the Napoleonic Wars; yet on the coast of the Adriatic Sea – broadly, former Western Yugoslavia and the Ionian Islands – France struggled to hold a vital strategic outpost dominating Austrian and Russian access to the Mediterranean. Here she took into imperial service former Austrian frontier regiments, which fought with distinction in Russia in 1812; and raised irregulars from among the exotic warrior populations to guard the Turkish frontier inland, and the coasts and islands from British naval raids. This detailed review of all such troops is illustrated with rare prints and meticulous colour plates.
