As Granichary, members of this Grenz infantry were invited to the Imperial Russia where on territory of modern Ukraine they formed historic frontier region of New Serbia.

Grenzers were the successors to the irregular troops of Pandurs, which were also raised as a militia by the Habsburgs in the 18th century to defend the border with the Ottomans and also used as skirmishers in the Seven Years' War.

[need quotation to verify] However, the Grenzers were first and foremost skirmishing troops and were thought not to perform as well in the role of line infantry as the regular regiments.

The Treaty of Schönbrunn compelled Austria to cede territory in the Military Frontier and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th and 11th Grenz Infantry Regiments went into French service.

The Vlachs that emigrated from the Balkans brought along their customary law, cooperative as an old Slavic socio-economic community, while the name Hajduk in Hungary also denoted a special social layer.