The Serbs of Hungary were largely immigrants escaping the Turkish thrust in the 16th and 17th centuries, settling mostly in Southern Hungary. They had practiced religious autonomy while suspicious of “magyarization”. Their leaders, including Metropolitan Rajacic (Rayachich), had supported the Hungarian independence movement, indeed accompanied the Diet delegation to Vienna. Endorsing the emancipation of the serfs, in a series of assemblies they demanded political autonomy, official use of the Serbian language : parallel to what Hungarians claimed from the crown.,

Josip Rajacic

As these demands were gradually refused, they had taken matters in their own hands. Metropolitan Rajacic was declared”Patriarch of all the Slavs, Serbs and Vlachs” * Colonel of the border guards Stevan Supljikac proclaimed “Vojvoda” (i.e. regent) of a newly designated Serbian province (curiously both Supljikac and his Hungarian rival Mészáros were at the time in Italy fighting for the Habsburg empire).
The subsequent “Karloca congress” declared loyalty to the crown (but not Hungary), and a readiness to ally with Croatia-Slavonia as well as Dalmatia. Upon visiting Ferdinand V in Innsbruck, however, under Rajacic’s leadership, their plan was turned down.

* : The Vlachs (a.k.a. Wallachs) were also immigrants mostly from the Balkan to Southern Hungary andTransylvania. Their first groups started to appear in Hungarian territory in the 13th century. The Vlachs (or Wallachs) later changed their name and became known as Romanians.

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