Editing Subotica (section)

===Habsburg Monarchy===
[[File:Razglednica Subotice.jpg|thumb|Subotica in Serbian early 20th-century postcard]]
In 1687, about 5,000 [[Bunjevci]] settled in Bačka (including Subotica). After the decisive battle against the Ottomans at [[Senta]] led by [[Prince Eugene of Savoy]] on 11 September 1697, Subotica became part of the [[Military Frontier|military border]] zone [[Potisje|Theiss]]-[[Pomorišje|Mieresch]] established by the [[Habsburg monarchy]]. In the meantime the uprising of [[Francis II Rákóczi]] broke out, which is also known as the [[Kuruc War]].

In the region of Subotica, Rákóczi joined battle against the ''Rac National Militia''. ''[[Rác (ethnonym)|Rác]]'' was a designation for the South Slavic people (mostly Serbs and Bunjevci) and they often were referred to as ''rácok'' in the Kingdom of Hungary. In a later period ''rácok'' came to mean, above all, Serbs of Orthodox religion.{{sfn|Varga|2013|p=264}}

The Serbian military families enjoyed several privileges thanks to their service for the Habsburg Monarchy. Subotica gradually, however, developed from being a mere garrison town to becoming a market town with its own civil charter in 1743. When this happened, many Serbs complained about the loss of their privileges. The majority left the town in protest and some of them founded a new settlement just outside 18th century Subotica in [[Aleksandrovo, Subotica|Aleksandrovo]], while others emigrated to [[Russia]]. In [[New Serbia (historical province)|New Serbia]], a new Russian province established for them, those Serbs founded a new settlement and also named it ''Subotica''. In 1775, a Jewish community in Subotica was established.

It was perhaps to emphasise the new civic serenity of Subotica that the pious name "Saint Mary" came to be used for it at this time. Some decades later, in 1779, Empress [[Maria Theresa of Austria]] advanced the town's status further by proclaiming it a Free Royal Town. The enthusiastic inhabitants of the city renamed Subotica once more as ''Maria-Theresiopolis''.<ref>[https://www.heritage-su.org.rs/en/town-house-2/ History of Subotica] Retrieved 8 September 2022.</ref>

This Free Royal Town status gave a great impetus to the development of the city. During the 19th century, its population doubled twice, attracting many people from all over the [[Habsburg monarchy]]. This led eventually to a considerable demographic change. In the first half of the 19th century, the Bunjevci had still been in the majority, but there was an increasing number of Hungarians and Jews settling in Subotica. This process was not stopped even by the outbreak of the [[Revolutions of 1848|Revolutions in the Habsburg monarchy (1848–49)]].