Siege Warfare

In 2018, a team from the Austrian Archaeological Institute uncovered an alphabetic inscription that was painted onto a fragment of a Cypriote White Slip II milk bowl. The significance of the Lachish Milk Bowl Ostracon (LMBO) for biblical history cannot be overstated, as this ostracon ties the Israelites of Joshua's campaign directly to Canaan at the end of the 15th century BC. This inscribed potsherd from Lachish’s destruction layer, which dates to near the end of the Late Bronze Age I, attests to Israelites in Canaan just before 1400 BC. The ostracon includes a brief but legible writing in the script of the world’s oldest alphabet, whose prior attestation is reserved almost exclusively for inscriptions from Egypt (Lahun, Wadi el-Ḥôl) and Sinai (Wadi Naṣb, Serâbîṭ el-Khâdim), which the author previously demonstrated to be written in the Hebrew language. The LMBO is possibly the most definitive form of evidence of the Israelite conquest of Canaan yet discovered by archaeologists excavating in Israel.

Engravings Depicting the Polotsk Campaign in 1579 as a Homogeneous Cartographic Composition Th e paper presents seven plans of fortresses (Polotsk, Sokil, Kazyany, Krasne, Turovla, Susza and Sitno) and a map of the principality of Polotsk by Stanisław Pachołowiecki. Th e analysis indicates that plans of fortifi cations and hydrogeologic conditions were integrated into a previously existing operational map of the principality of Polotsk. Th erefore, eight printed maps and plans constitute a joint work that was uniformly fi nished by one author (Stanisław Pachołowiecki or Giovanni Battista Cavalieri). Th e map of the principality of Polotsk features Russian fortifi ca-tions in the form of two-dimensional projections. Th e strongholds were depicted in a reliable manner, both in terms of shape and the number of towers. Such a representation of settlement symbols was an innovative solution in Renaissance carto g-raphy. Not until the 17 th century were such means known and they did not appear on a broader scale until the 1730s.

This volume illustrates the structure and salient features of the fortified town of Casale Monferrato during the Spanish Succession War (1700 – 1714). After the citadel’s initial demolition, it was repaired by the Gonzaga Family at the end of 16th century. In 1696, the French returned Casale to the Duke of Mantova, only to reoccupy it indefinitely in 1701. At that time, the fermeture was planned, which re-fortified the part of the fortress damaged during its destruction. After summarising Casale’s strategic role in the 17th century within the policies of Spain, France, Savoy and Mantova, this volume presents the French engineer Paul Francois d’Astier’s documents and drawings, stored in the French Military Archives, Vincennes, and State Archives, Turin. These demonstrate what was prepared on the occasions of those interactions.
Overall, this volume focuses the reader’s attention on Casale’s role as a logistical base for the Armée d’Italie in the Po Valley during the campaigns from 1701 to 1706

The Mamluk siege of Montfort castle provides a rare opportunity to examine one of the most celebrated but also misrepresented technologies of the Middle Ages: mechanical artillery. The castle was inhabited for only about forty-five years before it was taken and then destroyed by the Mamluks, creating a time capsule for archaeologists to peer into life in a mid-thirteenth-century stronghold and carefully examine evidence of the siege that ultimately led to its abandonment. Among the finds are a number of artillery projectiles that date to the final siege of the castle. An investigation of the surrounding topography has revealed that there are only a couple of places from which these stones could have been thrown. This rare combination of clearly datable projectiles and a topographical environment that provides a good indication of range allows for a unique quantitative assessment of the development of trebuchet technology.

Нарва и Ивангород – уникальный комплекс двух крепостей, которые в 1704 году осадил и взял Петр Великий. Книга посвящена этой выдающейся осадной операции петровской армии: впервые за годы Северной войны русские войска блокировали город и повели постепенную осаду, завершившуюся успешным генеральным штурмом Нарвы и капитуляцией Ивангорода. Так царь Петр I взял реванш за «нарвскую конфузию» 1700 года, когда победу у стен города одержал шведский король Карл XII.
События 1704 года вокруг Ругодева – так русские часто называли Нарву - изложены в виде хроники, день за днем, и описаны на основе многочисленных опубликованных и архивных источников с обеих сторон. Работа дополнена документальными приложениями, среди которых впервые вводится в оборот неизвестный ранее документ, описывающий взятие Нарвы и, в том числе, облик русских войск.
Параллельно с основным повествованием, книга рассказывает о ярких событиях военной истории, происходивших в 1704 году на других театрах Северной войны и на фронтах более далекой Войны за испанское наследство.
В работе популярно излагаются малоизвестные особенности военного дела начала XVIII века, раскрываются биографии участников событий.
Книга обильно иллюстрирована редкими оригинальными гравюрами и картами. Авторские рисунки специально для этой книги выполнили современные мастера военно-исторической иллюстрации: М. Борисов, Н. Зубков, А. Каращук, О. Пархаев, В. Тараторин, А. Темников, А. Тронь, О. Федоров, С. Шаменков.
Военные кампании на европейском континенте в начале XVIII века состояли преимущественно из осадных операций, а крупные полевые сражения были сравнительно редки. Многие десятки крепостей от Финляндии до Германии и от Норвегии до Азовского моря стали ареной боевых действий между русскими, шведами, их союзниками и противниками, но именно в истории взятия Нарвской крепости мы находим наиболее полный набор характерных черт военного дела эпохи барокко. Поэтому, рассказ о Нарве дает повод поговорить о механике осадной войны, о стойкости защитников и мужестве осаждающих, о военных обычаях и о судьбах людей – обо всем, что составляет драматичную историческую эпоху Северной войны 1700 - 1721 гг.

""En Filipo II y el Arte de la Guerra tendremos la oportunidad de conocer en profundidad a uno de los más grandes reyes de la antigua Macedonia. Gracias a su habilidad como estratega, diplomático, político y soldado, heredó un reino pobre, débil y acosado por innumerables enemigos y lo transformó en el más poderoso de toda Grecia.

A lo largo de sus páginas podremos conocer la historia del reino Macedonio, desde sus orígenes míticos hasta la formación de un imperio, de la mano del que, a la postre, se convertiría en el padre del mítico Alejandro Magno y en el forjador de un nuevo ejército que cambiaria el devenir de la guerra en la Antigüedad. Filipo II fue el creador de la falange macedonia, formación que se demostraría como inigualable en el campo de batalla y que reportaría incontables victorias sobre poderosos enemigos, como los ilirios, los tesalios, los tracios, los beocios o los atenienses. Pero no sólo eso, logró integrar en el campo de batalla a la infantería y a la caballería para emplearlos en nuevas formaciones tácticas: armó a sus soldados con las míticas sarissas y apreció como pocos las posibilidades militares que la maquinaria de guerra podía proporcionarle, siendo el mecenas de numerosos avances en este campo. Soñó con conquistar el Imperio persa, cuando ya había logrado lo que nadie antes fue capaz: el control de Grecia.

Sólo la muerte le arrebató esa hazaña, pero sentó las bases de lo que más tarde conseguiría su propio hijo. Su figura levantó tanto odios como pasiones; se le conocía como mujeriego y bebedor, pero también por su habilidad para la oratoria, por sus astucia, determinación y valor. Siempre luchó en primera línea junto a sus soldados y nunca permitió que éstos le llamaran rey, sino solo "General".

A recording can be found at: https://youtu.be/dWzVyIdBcmg. Presented at the 92nd Annual Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America (University of Toronto, 2017).
The sudden construction of larger and stronger fortifications in the Near East from around the start of the thirteenth century has long attracted the interest of scholars. This medieval 'Fortification Revolution' was traditionally thought to be a product of the cross-cultural exchange of information brought about by the crusades, while more recently some have postulated that this shift was caused by the sudden development of much larger varieties of mechanical artillery. Ample consideration is rarely given to the individuals responsible for commissioning these defences and the socio-political, rather than technological, context in which they were built. While the great strongholds constructed by the Crusaders reflect an assortment of tactical and economic considerations that emerged in the wake of Saladin's conquests of 1187-91, the influence of the power struggle that broke out within the Ayyubid family following Saladin's death is readily apparent in the designs of the citadels rebuilt by the principal contenders. Rather than a response to any particular military threat, the ostentatious scale of the defences built by Saladin's brother, al-Adil, and his nephew, Saladin's son, al-Zahir Ghazi, appear to have been inspired in large part by a desire convey a sense of their power and legitimacy as the rightful head of the Ayyubid dynasty. By examining the development of the architectural elements preferred by these men, especially their use of unprecedentedly large towers, and how their fortification designs differed from those of their predecessors, this study will reveal the extent to which both men utilised obviously grand and consistent architectural forms. These were statements of authority at a time when the right to rule Saladin's empire was contested.

Sir Ribbentrops Instructions and orders for the reorganisation of Prussian hospitals 1808-1832.
The general war commissioner v. Ribbentrop established a very effective hospital organisation for the reformed Prussian army in 1813-15. Simultaneously, the surgeon general Dr. Goercke  reformed the combined education of army surgeons amd medical doctors in the "Medizinalanstalt" i.e. military medical institute at Berlin. The medical organisation in the campaigns and the sieges of fortresses is considered in particular.

Determining the difference in military or political function of castles is a topic heavily debated between scholars. Traditionally the military function has been studied through the use of historical documents or archaeological research into the outer and tower wall thickness of a castles. However, there is another source of material that enables to study a facet of the military functions of castles; military material to study the defence of the castle of against a siege. To examine the possibilities of military material as a source, a case-study has been performed on the military material excavated at eight castles in the county of Holland dating between 1250-1450. The eighth studied castles were grouped into three morphological types of castles. The castle types used in the thesis, from large to small: square castles, keep towers, and moated sites. To determine if castle was besieged using military material a theoretical framework is proposed for the deposition of military material during various events with a heightened deposition probability. The expected deposition of military objects during peace is low compared to the deposition of military objects during a siege. There is no expected pattern for the assembly of military objects deposited during peace. While, the expected loss of military objects during a siege would show a higher amount of projectiles, hand arms and polearms, depending on the siege method employed. However, during the destruction of the castle as part of the scorched earth tactic or as punishment high amount of military material is expected as well.
Examining the military material at the eight castle, it can be concluded that during sieges and the destruction of castles large amounts of military material were deposited as proposed in the theoretical framework. Moreover, it is possible to determine the siege method deployed. However, only if there can be differentiated between the destruction of a castle and a siege. Furthermore, it can be concluded that there is a differentiation in military role of the three castle types. However, this differentiation is not induced by the difference in morphological features, but by the wealth of the castle lord owning the castle and his willingness to defend the castle.

Artillery in the Era of the Crusades provides a detailed examination of the use of mechanical artillery in the Levant through the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Rather than focus on a selection of sensational anecdotes, Michael S. Fulton explores the full scope of the available literary and archaeological evidence, reinterpreting the development of trebuchet technology and the ways in which it was used during this period. Among the arguments put forward, Fulton challenges the popular perception that the invention of the counterweight trebuchet was responsible for the dramatic transformation in the design of fortifications around the start of the thirteenth century.

Title: "The development of bastioned fortifications in Utrecht (1528-1559): local tradition versus Italian innovation."

Abstract: Charles V’s annexation of Utrecht in 1528 marked the start of three decades of uninterrupted building activity on the city’s fortifications. The new works ranged from an innovative citadel (1528-1535) to rather old-fashioned round guntowers (1536-1542) and the most extraordinary of bastions (1543-1558). The latter were the result of close collaboration between the imperial engineer Donato de Bono, who visited Utrecht at least four times, and the local city architect Willem van Noort, who was in charge of their construction. It turns out that Van Noort had a surprisingly large share in the design of the bastions, the architecture of which is strikingly un-Italian. Indeed they bear the stamp of the local building tradition. The vertical composition of the flanks – including the odd guard-houses with stepped gables standing on top of the casemates – clearly descends from the type of guntower built by Van Noort in the preceding decade. Another highly unusual feature is the bastion’s organization around an open-air inner courtyard, which is reminiscent of earlier bulwark-gates in other towns of the Low Countries. In short, the Utrecht bastions can only be understood as a fusion of local practice and Italian innovation.

The book describes the armed forces of Peter the Great in its entirety, and covers in depth old Russian troops and irregulars, as well as Peter’s new standing army (guards, infantry, dragoons, elite units and artillery) and his brand-new force(the navy, with sailing ships and galleys, and marines). Besides the staffing, organization and development of troops, the book gives detailed account of uniforms, weapons and other materiel (both conventional and unusual). Training is described using drill manuals and tactical instructions of the period, and fighting methods actually performed on the battlefield are described - based on first-hand accounts and period observations from Russian, Swedish and impartial sources. Pitched battles that often predominate in descriptions of early-18th century warfare are given their due in the book; however, linear tactics on the field were not the only - nor even the main - type of actions during the Great Northern War, so the author goes into details of the sieges, small war actions and riverine, lake and naval combats.

The author brings up materials that were unavailable to English-speaking readers and scholars so far, and the book not only contains the author’s own research, but is also based on the most recent works of other Russian scholars who specialize in various aspects of the Petrine military history; this makes the book a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of Peter the Great’s military force during the Great Northern War (1700-1721). The book is supplemented with numerous contemporary prints and paintings, photos of artefacts and recreated uniform kits, as well as specially-commissioned artwork that has been created by an artist who is knowledgeable in details from that period.

A la fin du Premier Empire, les armées coalisées envahissent par deux fois la France : tout d'abord en 1814 à la suite des désastres de Russie et d'Allemagne, puis en 1815 après la défaite de Waterloo. Durant ces campagnes, de nombreuses places fortes dans l'Est de la France seront bloquées. L'idée de Napoléon est de conserver ces différents points de passages situés sur des axes de circulation importants afin de pouvoir manœuvrer plus facilement en rase campagne. C'est également un moyen de fixer une partie des troupes ennemies. Pour ces dernières, il n'est pas question de laisser sans surveillance de tels points de résistance, tout en évitant d'y monopoliser trop de moyens. Le but est de se concentrer sur l'armée principale commandée par Napoléon.
Thionville, située à proximité de la frontière avec le Luxembourg et dont les fortifications ont été mal entretenues, représente un point de passage important sur la Moselle et une place d'appui pour la grande ville fortifiée qu'est Metz. Sous les ordres du général Hugo (père de l'écrivain), la ville résistera par deux fois au blocus, durant plusieurs mois, sans jamais capituler. C'est à l'arrivée au pouvoir de Louis XVIII et par son ordre que la ville cessera les hostilités sans se rendre. Mais le second Traité de Paris amènera à l’occupation de la ville à la fin de l’année 1815.
La ville devra gérer en 1814 l'afflux important de soldats, aussi bien des troupes de passage que des nombreux malades du typhus. Elle devra également faire face à des problèmes d'approvisionnement dus à un manque d’entretien et d’anticipation. Ce sera différent en 1815 où le blocus sera mieux préparé. La ville n'aura toutefois pas, dans les deux cas, à subir de lourds bombardements.
L'ennemi ne disposant que de peu de moyens de siège, c'est la garnison de la ville qui aura surtout l'initiative en matière de combats avec différents coups de main opérés à l'extérieur des remparts, principalement pour récupérer du fourrage et des provisions. Une véritable guerre de communication se mettra également en place, dans une période où les informations circulent mal.
Exemple d'une "guerre de siège" dans une période marquée par la manœuvre au combat, les blocus de Thionville démontrent une variété plus importante des types de combat durant le Premier Empire et mettent en avant le caractère national de la guerre qui se fait de plus en plus au nom de la nation que pour un souverain.

Resumo
O trabalho realizado sobre o Cerco de Lisboa de 1384, focado nas grandes crónicas desta altura, vai-se afastar de uma análise ao cerco em si, ou seja, nas defesas da cidade, nos armamentos dos sitiantes e engenhos de guerra; mas sim numa apreciação de todos os fatores exteriores, como redes de comunicação e abastecimento, operações militares nestas mesmas, e importância de fortificações, como pontos de acesso, infiltração ou de emboscada, tanto para com os defensores ou para os invasores.

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Abstract
The following paper about the Siege of Lisbon of 1384, mainly focused on the great chronicles of the time, will be deviating from a straight analysis of the siege itself, that is, the city’s defence, the besiegers armaments and siege engines; but will be an appreciation of every external factor, such as, lines of communication and supply, military operations in these, and the importance of fortifications, as access, infiltration and staging points, whether to the defenders or the invaders

The Fechtbuch (Fight-Book) from 1459 AD by Hans Talhoffer is truly an uncanny work. In this edition of his work, the fight-master opens a window for us to his world. He shares knowledge from his own field of expertise – the martial arts of Renaissance Europe. Yet he also presents works from masters of the same and other fields – Zwaintzig Ussrichtung (Twenty Directives) by fight-master Johann Liechtenauer; Bellifortis (Battle Force) by military engineer Conrad Kyeser; and Hie Lert (Here Teaches) by astrologer-physiologist Jud Ebreesch. By text and by pictures, numerous diverse and lively scenes are shown that are sometimes quite bizarre – vigorous fighting lessons, for judicial dueling and for battle; war-machines, strange inventions and secret formulas; and treatises upon cosmology and physiology.

In this rich personal edition of his work, Talhoffer deals with a wide variety of things, from the lofty to the earthy. He has something to offer everyone – whether fighter, artist, botanist, philologist, herbalist, chemist, metalsmith, carpenter, jurist, kinesiologist, astronomer, culinarian, theologian, costumer, physician or otherwise.

Although fighting-arts are the focus of Talhoffer’s book, it is really something of a kaleidoscopic view of the interests and pursuits of the Renaissance German warrior, inclusive of manifold things meaningful to his life. However atavistic or unreal his world may be deemed now, it did truly exist and held wonder and honour worthy of our admiration.

The diversity of this book stands witness to Hans Talhoffer as one of the dynamic personalities of his generation – one whom we must deem was a true Renaissance Man.

All imagery herein is from the 1459-Thott edition, courtesy of the original 15th Century manuscript held by sterwardship of Det Kongelige Bibliotek in Copenhagen Denmark. I made this PDF to present that work here for the free learning of all sincerely interested persons. It may be viewed via personal computer, saved onto CDR and/or printed into hard-copy, allowing complete archiving of the document in whatever quality format one may choose – with the understanding that it is meant for noncommercial and nonprofit educational usage. The imagery herein is colour-corrected; and where needed in four folios, the action of the artwork is conceptually restored. The original uncorrected DKB facsimile still exists online. DKB is found in the Web at this URL: http://www.kb.dk

So first is the facsimile of the original book itself, which lets you see the words and pictures for yourself. Next are my transcription of its German and my translation of that into English – the transcription gives you direct comprehensible reference to the original German wording, while the translation gives you the first and only rendering of that wording into English. Lastly is my interpretive commentary, which helps you better understand many aspects of the words and pictures.

ABSTRACT: This lecture covers the First Intermediate Period (FIP), spanning Dynasties (7)/8 through early/mid-11 (ca. 2,200-2,040 BCE), but includes periodic discussion regarding the late Old Kingdom leading up to this period and the Middle Kingdom emerging from it.  The lecture begins with a summary of what we know about the decline of, albeit continuity of the (increasingly nominal) Memphite royal rule in, Egypt’s early First Intermediate Period (Dyns. 7-8), which can be considered part of the late Old Kingdom (e.g., King Ibi/Aba).  It proceeds with the transition from Dyn. 8-9 (including the nomarch Ankhtifi [southern Egypt]), and continues with the rise and establishment of the Herakleopolitan (northern kingdom) and Theban (southern kingdom), incorporating a summary of historical events, art, architecture, material culture, and other aspects (e.g., King Khui; Nomarch Intef; Montuhotep I [the founder]; Kings Intef I-III; Montuhotep II).  The lecture then furnishes selected selected contemporary (FIP) texts --and some later, early, key Middle Kingdom (propagandistic) texts-- to illustrate some trends and characteristics attested and alleged during this period (sometimes called a "Dark Age").  It gives an initial introduction to the roots and rise of the Osiris cult (at Abydos), the deity Osiris, and his nature and changing roles in the FIP through Middle Kingdom (and later).  In the concluding section, the lecture covers the main characteristics of mortuary customs and practices during the First Intermediate Period (and into the Middle Kingdom), including (1) regional variance in burials (e.g., furnishings and decoration), (2) a few known royal tomb forms (e.g., saff/row tombs; small pyramids), selected poor to elite tombs (e.g., pit graves; rock-cut; mastaba tombs), a rise in rural burial wealth (e.g., Qau-Mostagedda cemetery), regional art (e.g., new/different and poor to good quality tomb decoration; an emerging Theban art style), false door stelae and offering slabs, different scenes with tomb owners (e.g., banquet scene; couples; other), coffins, the Coffin Texts (including roots in the Pyramid Texts and new spells), and guide maps (to the afterlife), cartonnage mummy masks (new), human-headed canopic jars, ka-spirit statues and statuettes, amulets, jewelry, seals, soul houses, models (including illustrations of diverse types: FIP-Dyn.12), and paddle dolls.  The lecture concludes with a series of summary slides.  UPDATED: 28 March, 2023, adding bibliography, some new text, revised/edited text, and some re-formatting.

Книга посвящена атаке и обороне укреплений. Это типичная для своего времени, но малоизвестная сегодня сторона военных действий начала XVIII века.
Фактический ход осадных операций в книге сопоставлен с рекомендациями теоретических трактатов той эпохи. При описании внутренней логики осадной войны автор обращает внимание на вопросы повседневности, рутинные задачи, воинские традиции и обычаи, поведение в боевой обстановке и соблюдение техники безопасности.
Выходя за рамки непосредственно крепостной войны, книга повествует также о штурмах либо за  щите малых и полевых фортификационных сооружений. Наряду с крупными осадами и полевыми сражениями они составляли значительную долю в опыте армий участниц Северной войны. Важное место в монографии уделено вовлеченному в войну мирному населению, рассказано о тактике выжженной земли, об эвакуации и сожжении городов. Яркую характеристику эпохи дают неписанные законы и обычаи войны относительно сдачи городов, ведения переговоров, соблюдения (и несоблюдения) договоренностей, права добычи или практики личного плена.
Книга написана на большом массиве опубликованных и архивных источников, как отечественных, так и иностранных, и предназначена для широкого круга читателей – историков, любителей военной истории и культуры Нового времени.

ABSTRACT: This lecture (no. 16) covers the Neo-Babylonian Empire, starting with the transitory reign of King Nabopolassar (Nabu-apla-usur) (ca. 626/625-605 BC), an individual who began as an official serving the Assyrians and gradually became independent, initiating a small kingdom in southern Babylonia that grew into an autonomous Babylonian kingdom and then challenged and ultimately defeated the Assyrian Empire by 610 BCE. The lecture proceeds with a brief coverage of his son, King Nebuchadnezzar II (Nabu-kudurru-usur; 604-562 BC), and a series of other Neo-Babylonian rulers: King Amel-Marduk (biblical: Evil-Merodach; ca. 561-560 BC), King Nergal-Shar-Usur (Neriglissar; Nergal-sherezer; ca. 559-556 BC), King Labashi-Marduk (ca. 555 BC), and King Nabonidus (ca. 555-539 BC), the latter of whom lost his kingdom to Cyrus II (the Great), who incorporated the Neo-Babylonian Empire into the expanding Persian Empire.  Please Note: This lecture will also be expanded in future course revisions/offerings. UPDATED: 2022 Spring offering.

Siege assault in the ancient Near East was a hazardous effort of the attacking army to gain entry into a fortified settlement by directing their forces at one specific location.  Unlike the blockade, which was a protracted attempt to make a settlement surrender through attrition, siege assault appears to have been undertaken when the attacking army had a numerical advantage and/or time dictated that the enemy had to quickly surrender. 

The battering ram holds a special place in siege assault tactics with researchers as it represents the first purposely-built vehicle designed for warfare.  Although there is pictorial and textual evidence to support this claim, there appears to be a problem in scholars’ interpretations: that this device was able to create breaches in ancient fortifications.  Specifically, the argument that these contraptions were capable of causing ruptures near the foot of ancient defensive walls. When the evidence is examined, it appears that a mistake has been made.

This paper endeavors to give an overall survey of the textual and artistic evidence for battering rams and siege ramps until the end of the Iron Age (c. 586 BCE).  We will also examine the archaeological sites of Lachish, Smyrna and Paphos. By incorporating this set of data, we can deduce how these devices were used in ancient siege assaults and what part of the fortifications would have been most vulnerable to their attacks.

SUMMARY: Lecture 19-a provides an overview on the city of Troy, the Trojan War, and other aspects of this settlement, its peoples, and their role in the Late Bronze Age and later periods. This lecture is designed mainly as an educational resource for college students (i.e., normally posted only on my institution's course website), the public (e.g., people auditing my course), and interested colleagues from other disciplines (to whom I provide copies privately).  I am posting it here, both as a broader access, educational tool, and especially to promote the study of this region and its past societies.  For further knowledge about this region and period, I refer interested parties to the textbooks and other sources from which the materials were extracted (see syllabus), and/or the bibliographies in these works and my online resource guides (see other files in my academia folders).  The lecture summarizes the pertinent materials in the course textbook(s), adding in other data, and furnishing numerous images to clarify information encountered within the textbook(s).  Some generic imagery (usually indicated as such) is posted to aid in transmitting various concepts visually, and/or when a specific image remains not located (temporarily).  I update and revise such lectures each time, with such elective courses normally being taught once every two years.  I try to cover the most current, mainstream views, and usually place summary notes at the end of each lecture alongside some of the key sources used for compiling the ppt.  Over time, each lecture is improved, errors rectified, and additional data placed within the lecture.  These ppt. lectures take many hours to compile, but they have proved useful to many of my more serious students and I hope they can be of benefit to others as well.  My apologies for any errors I may have made, and my liberal usage of educational imagery from professional sources and vetted internet sources. REVISED: Nov. 2020, new slides, some text and images, and diverse re-formatting and editing.

The result of research on the history of mechanical engineering and design, this study identifies Leonardo’s innovative approaches to technical problems, correcting previous assumptions about his lack of technical knowledge as an engineer. Innovative strategies include his use of Euclidian and Archimedean geometry, dimetric parallel projection, consistency of scale, proportions of one-third throughout the structure, and proportional calculations of its force. The sophistication and precision of the drawing, compared with others by Leonardo and his contemporaries, locates it among his plans for a military treatise, re-dates it to a later period of 1490-93, and associates it with similar working methods across disciplines at the turn of the sixteenth century.

Sieben Wochen lang hatten die deutschen und ungarischen Verteidiger im eingeschlossenen Budapest den Angriffen sowjetischer und rumänischer Verbände standgehalten. Doch schließlich wurden sie im westlichen Stadtteil Buda auf engem Raum zusammengedrängt und litten unter Verpflegungs-und Munitionsmangel. Bis zuletzt hatte sie vor allem die Hoffnung aufrechterhalten, sie würden durch deutsche Kräfte von außen befreit. Erst, als die Lage vollkommen aussichtslos war, wagten die Verteidiger einen Ausbruchsversuch - doch dieser endete in einem Desaster.

Antep Savunması Kronolojisi (1918-1921) Adım Adım Karanlıktan Aydınlığa, Antep’in tarihine ışık tutarken, kuru bir tarih çizelgesi olarak kaleme alınmadı. Eser, tek bölümde halinde, 1918 yılından 1921 yılına kadar geçen zaman diliminde Antep Savunması’nın kritik tarihi hadiselerini ortaya çıkartmayı hedefledi. Yaklaşık üç yıllık süreçte cereyan eden hadiseler, öncelik ve sonralık sıralamasına göre kronolojik olarak tasnif edildi. Böylelikle bütünsel olarak değerlendirildiğinde kıyaslama yapılabilmekteydi. Örneğin “İngiliz Birlikleri Antep’te” iken Türkiye’de ne gibi gelişmelerin olduğunu aynı zamanda dünya kamuoyunda ne tarzda olayların yaşandığını eş zamanlı olarak ele alarak okuyucunun mukayese etmesine olanak sağlamaktadır. Böylelikle yaşanan dönemin resmini daha iyi görebilme imkânına sahip olunabilir.

This Thesis is about Sebastian Le Preste de Vauban, a French Military engineer and Architect who fought with the French army, under King Louis XIV throughout the seventeenth century. His ideas on fortification and siege warfare changed the scale for future engineers to adopt his methods. The thesis is structured into three chapters that focus on Vauban’s innovations and his legacy after his death in 1707. The first chapter is an overview of the Military Revolution that occurred in the Seventeenth century and how new innovations on weaponry, fortification and siege warfare inspired Vauban to create his own methods. The second chapter follows onto Vauban himself and discusses in depth his ideas on siege warfare and fortification. The introduction of the parallel trenches and using geometry for his fortification designs were just some of Vauban’s ideas he brought to the table. The third chapter concludes on Vauban’s legacy in the eighteenth century. This chapter looks at Vauban’s influences on other cities such as Vienna in a series of maps and comparing them to his own work in France. Vauban was the centre of literature historical and fictional writers who used his work to create their own stories and analysis. The chapter concludes on French engineers Marc Réne de Montalembert and Michel Chartier de Lotbiniere who studied Vauban’s techniques in order to create their own work.
Note: This was a bachelor thesis I undertook and the research methods and/or source may be useful for others, who are researching in a related field

Sieges played a key role in the crusades, but they tend to be overshadowed by the famous battles fought between the Franks and the Muslims, and no detailed study of the subject has been published in recent times. So Michael Fulton’s graphic, wide-ranging and thought-provoking book is a landmark in the field.

He considers the history of siege warfare in the Holy Land from every angle – the tactics and technology, the fortifications, the composition of the opposing armies, and the ways in which sieges shaped Frankish and Muslim strategy at each stage of the conflict. The differences and similarities between the Eastern and Western traditions are explored, as is the impact of the shifting balance of power in the region.

The conclusions may surprise some readers. Neither the Muslims nor the Franks possessed a marked advantage in siege technology or tactics, their fortifications reflected different purposes and an evolving political environment and, although there were improvements in technologies and fortifications, the essence of siege warfare remained relatively consistent.

Michael Fulton’s book is a fascinating all-round reassessment of an aspect of the crusades that had a decisive impact on the outcome of the struggle. It will be essential reading for medieval and military historians.

«Ci sono uomini che quasi nessuno conosce, ma che hanno lasciato tracce e gettato ponti tra l’ignoranza e la conoscenza.»
«Raimondo Montecuccoli fu uno dei protagonisti della cosidetta Rivoluzione militare.» «Capitano al servizio degli Asburgo, aveva maturato una singolarissima esperienza di guerra, coniugando nella sua persona sia la conoscenza delle innovazioni militari occidentali maturate con la Guerra dei Trent'anni, e sia una profonda e diretta testimonianza della grandezza militare ottomana.»

"The Destruction of Thérouanne and Hesdin by Emperor Charles V in 1553"

This extensive article examines in detail the extraordinary destructions of Thérouanne and Hesdin, two towns located in the province of Artois, which was one of the main theatres of the chronic border wars between France and the Habsburg Low Countries in the sixteenth century. In 1553 both towns were besieged, captured, and then completely destroyed by order of Emperor Charles V. These dramatic events were of great consequence at the time and constitute a remarkable episode in Europe’s political, military and urban history. Yet they have largely been ignored by modern historians.

Based on a considerable amount of hitherto unstudied archival and iconographical sources, this essay reveals the exact historical circumstances of the unprecedented eradication of the two towns. It assesses the strategic significance of both places, reconstructs the state of their defences, and evaluates the damage that was done to their fortifications by the siege operations. It also elucidates the rationale of Charles V’s decision to wipe both places off the map, and exposes the logistical and technical means by which the demolition works were carried out.

Thérouanne was the capital of a large bishopric since the early Middle Ages and boasted a renowned cathedral. In the early sixteenth century it became one of the main strongholds of the French kingdom, owing to its unusual position as a French enclave within the county of Artois, which was part of the Habsburg realm. Equipped with new fortifications in the 1520s, it was one of the strongest fortresses of France’s northern frontier and in 1537 successfully withstood a first siege by Charles V’s troops. On 20 June 1553, after a laborious two-month siege, the imperial army captured Thérouanne by assault. In the course of the next two months the entire town was methodically dismantled by an especially recruited regiment of three thousand pioneers. Explosive gunpowder mines were used to demolish the principle elements of the town’s enceinte, including the artillery platform of the old castle, the Patrouille bastion, and several guntowers, while the lengthy curtain walls were brought down by sapping: the earth was dug out from underneath their foundations, which were temporarily supported by wooden props; these were then set on fire, causing the walls to collapse into the ditch. To speed up the demolition works, the inhabitants of the surrounding region were invited to cart away the dismantled building materials for personal use. By the end of August, Thérouanne had disappeared. It has remained a “ville morte” ever since.

The faith of Hesdin was very different. Compared with Thérouanne, Hesdin was only a minor stronghold. The town itself, with its unfavourable topographical position and obsolete medieval fortifications, possessed little defensive capabilities; Hesdin’s main value lay in its illustrious castle, which had originally been built as a lavish “château de plaisance” by the dukes of Burgundy, and was later adapted to the use of gunpowder artillery. The imperial troops captured Hesdin, after a two-week siege, on 18 July 1553. Its castle, already heavily damaged by bombardment and mining during the siege, was rapidly destroyed by the army in the next two weeks, using large quantities of gunpowder to blow up its towers. The town itself was not so much demolished but rather relocated; the following year a new fortress-town, Hesdinfert, was founded on a more favourable site some five kilometres to the west, and the old town of Hesdin was abandoned.

The episode illustrates that a new border defence strategy was being implemented at the time. The destruction, for purely strategic reasons, of Thérouanne and Hesdin must indeed be seen as a counterpart of the construction in the same years of several new fortress-towns (Hesdinfert, Charlemont, Philippeville) along the same frontier. Together they exemplify the early development of a “national” defence system based on a chain of border fortresses – more than a century before this principle was perfected by Vauban.

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"La destruction de Thérouanne et d’Hesdin par Charles Quin en 1553"

Au XVIe siècle comme à d’autres époques, la démolition totale d’une forteresse réutilisable était exceptionnelle en temps de guerre. En effet, en raison notamment du montant exorbitant des dépenses occasionnées par la construction des ouvrages défensifs, les fortifications d’une ville ou d’un château conquis suite à un siège n’étaient ordinairement jamais détruites, mais réparées et réutilisées contre l’ennemi vaincu. Constituant une remarquable exception à cette règle, Thérouanne et Hesdin, deux villes fortes françaises, furent intégralement rasées après leur prise par Charles Quint en 1553. La présente contribution tente non seulement de comprendre et d’expliquer les raisons de cette exception, mais aussi d’étudier les moyens humains, techniques et financiers qui furent mis en oeuvre pour parvenir à cette fin. Outre des illustrations en partie inédites, elle s’appuie sur des sources manuscrites inexploitées jusqu’à présent, et en particulier sur une abondante correspondante échangée entre les divers protagonistes, tant sur place qu’à l’échelon central.

The subject of siege captured the imagination of many and gave rise to representations across a range of media, including the theatre. This dissertation focuses on the performances of four such plays in the period 1645-1686, analysing how they staged subjects of violence, and to what end. Two of these plays dealt with the subject of the historical siege of Leiden – Reynerius Bontius’ The Siege and Relief of Leyden (1645) and Jan Vos’ design of five enormous tableaux vivants that were to be performed before, during, and after Bontius’ play (1660); others were connected with recent peace treaties. In the latter category, I propose a contextualised close-reading of Govard Bidloo’s Pageant Play, on the Peace (1678) and Austria Victorious, or Conquest of Buda (1686) by the same author. For all four case studies I mobilised the neologism “imagineering,” a compound of “imaging” or “imagining” and “engineering.” This notion allows me to understand how cultural performances in early modern theatre both reflected and affected their Umwelt.

The four central chapters of this study offer a detailed analysis of the material aspects of how siege violence was staged by means of various imagineering techniques. Violence, I argue, could be told (by means of ekphrasis), explicitly shown (by means of proxemics and tableau vivant), or allegorically personified (by means of prosopopoeia). The shared aim of these techniques was to make the audience feel involved with and even witness the violent events that were being staged. The cases studied here reveal an evolution in the way violence was imagineered in the theatre, from suggestion to display. Visual means became increasingly important, as well as the use of auditory techniques and illusory theatrical machinery. Consequently, the audience experience became increasingly spectacular: immersive, highly affective, and overwhelming to the senses. This strategy of attraction catered to as much as cultivated the seventeenth-century desire to be moved and beguiled.

Spectacularly staged violence therefore provides a unique lens on how, in the course of the seventeenth century, the Dutch theatre developed into a commercial enterprise. At the same time, staged violence was employed for its potential to perform as propaganda for the urban political elite. By eliciting either horror or cheer, each performance under discussion was able to generate strong feelings towards contemporary political actors in a way that suited the local authorities. An important emotive technique towards this end was the exploitation of tropes. Imagineering conceptualises the cultural background of the audience as central to how they could make sense of the violence onstage. By reiterating the same themes and narratives that circulated throughout media, the siege plays employed their ingrained emotional effect on the audience for political ends. The other way around, the performance in its turn left an imprint on the cultural imagination of the audience, on how they could imagine the represented siege as well as how they perceived the actors involved.

Ninth-century France proved very lucrative for the Vikings. It was a land marred by civil war and bad harvests, and the Norse-men took advantage of this through raiding and mercenary acts. France's riverine system and innovations in the Viking longship allowed the Danes to penetrate deep into the continent and make a fortune in plunder from monasteries. Paris would be the ultimate target, and the Vikings besieged the city twice and received tribute payment in both cases. Why were the Vikings able to continuously successfully pillage France? Were the Frankish rulers inept, cowardly, or just practical in their handling of Norse incursions?

Throughout history, the Seleucid military might demonstrated
many times its importance for the maintenance, expansion and defense of the Empire. Rarely the Seleucid army was defeated in a campaign and it happened in front of the almighty Rome. After the defeat at Thermopylae and Magnesia, and following the imminent withdrawal must conquer the Ptolemaic Empire, the new king Antiochus IV Epiphanes held a military parade as never been done before, its real purpose is unknown, but the Seleucids showed the world the power that still had the Empire. Through the stories of several classic sources, we can come closer to this event and what
it could entail.

The Singapore and Melaka Straits are a place where regional and long-distance maritime trading networks converge, linking Europe, the Mediterranean, eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent with key centres of trade in Thailand, Indochina, insular Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. The first half of the seventeenth century brought heightened political, commercial and diplomatic activity to this region. It has long been clear to both the Portuguese and the Dutch that whoever controlled the waters off modern Singapore gained a firm grip on regional as well as long-distance intra-Asian trade. By the early 1600s Portuguese power and prestige were waning and the arrival of the Dutch East India Company constituted a major threat. Moreover, the rapid expansion and growing power of the Acehnese Empire, and rivalry between Johor and Aceh, was creating a new context for European trade in Asia.

Drawing on maps, rare printed works, and unpublished manuscripts written in Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and Latin, Peter Borschberg provides new information on the diplomatic activities of Asian powers, and shows how the Portuguese and Spanish attempted to restore their political fortunes by containing the rapid rise of Dutch Power in the region. Key documents, transcribed and translated into English for the first time, make up a series of appendices.

The product of more than two decades of research in European libraries, archives, The Singapore and Melaka Straits will be of great interest to readers in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, where little is known about this pivotal pre-colonial period. It is also an invaluable resource for historians and other students of early modern Europe and of the European presence in Asia.
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