Herrschermisstrauen im Wandel: Habsburger und Juden in der Epoche der Österreichischen Türkenkriege (1788–1791)
Changing Distrust of Rulers: Habsburgs and Jews in the Era of the Austrian-Turkish Wars (1788–1791)

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes Habsburg policies toward Jewish populations during the Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791), with particular emphasis on Emperor Joseph II’s decision to recruit Jewish soldiers. Although this measure drew on Enlightenment principles and built upon earlier reforms that had extended limited rights to Jewish communities, it was motivated less by military necessity than by considerations of political signaling. The policy represented a notable departure from entrenched patterns of distrust, which had been shaped by earlier anti-Jewish legislation and what may be termed a “Reconquista reflex.” Despite encountering resistance from both segments of the Habsburg elite and within Jewish communities themselves, the recruitment initiative constituted a significant step toward the broader process of Jewish emancipation in Central Europe.

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