Features of construction of fortification in the forest-steppe Zavolzhie region of the first third of the XVIII century

Abstract

The article examines the significant changes observed in the early decades of the 18th century. during the construction and use of defensive systems on the southern and southeastern borders of European Russia. The question of how the new fortification theories and technologies, adopted from Western Europe, turned out to be suitable for the natural and geographical conditions of our country and for successfully resisting the attacks of nomads, was studied. An analysis of historiography of Russian defensive architecture that has developed to date, has made it possible to obtain fairly complete answers on the issues under consideration. For a special study of individual aspects of the topic, published and archival documents from the central archives were used. The revealed materials on the design and construction of the New Zakamskaya line allow us to conclude that the leadership of the Military Collegium and the Office of the main artillery and fortification tightly controlled the projects prepared in the borderlands, the proposed routes of the defensive lines. It paid particular attention to checking the provision of fortifications to them, as well as to the use of standard samples of such fortifications prepared in the Office. At the same time, the commanders and engineers of the expeditions involved in the construction of lines and the deployment of the Landmilitia regiments on them showed a certain independence in all these matters. A study of the activities of the leadership of the Zakamsk expedition shows that they often entered into disputes with their higher authorities and often emerged victorious from them. During the period under review, Western European concepts of fortification were fundamental. It was they who were guided in the Military Collegium and the Chancellery of the main artillery and fortification. However, officers and engineers working in the borderlands were well acquainted with the peculiarities of military threats from the nomads, the strategy and tactics of their attacks. During the design and construction work, they showed common sense and knowledge of the basics of military engineering. This was most evident during construction in the first half of the 1730-ies of New Zakamskaya Line, which was later replaced by Samaraskaya line. The transitional period in the defensive architecture of the forest-steppe borderland ends in the 1730-ies. At this time, there was a gradual adaptation of Western fortification approaches to Russian realities. The transition from continuous systems of fortifications to live lines becomes obvious. Their builders are increasingly using various, applied to the peculiarities of the terrain and natural conditions, methods of erecting defensive structures. However, even in the middle second half of the century, when creating defensive lines, the "rational-geometric principle" prevailed, which corresponded to the Western European principles of fortification.