Russian Medieval Military Architecture

Pavel Rappoport

doi:10.3989/gladius.1969.175

Abstract

In Russia defensive works were not less important than in Western Europe. Russian chronicles are full of reports of the building of towns , of their siege and defence. In Ancient Russian the word town meant not a town in the modern sense, but only a fortified settlement as distinct from an unfortified one. Thus the concept town applied to medieval towns proper and to citadels, feudal castles and even fortified villages. Every population centre with a wall round it was called a town . Moreover, until the 17th century this word was frequently applied to mean the fortifications themselves.

Highlights

TThhee ssttuuddyy of medieval fortificcaattiioonnss requireess a comprehensive app-proacchh
TThhee uuneasy ssituation aanndd thhee ffrreeqquueenntt mmiilitary ccoonn..f+lJiictss ccrreeaateedd the ccoonnddiittiioonnss under wwhhiicch aa mmoorree or leessss peaceful liiffee w'waass oonnly poossssiibbllee behind sstrong wwaanllss
It turns out that it is harder to ascertain the ddeevveellopmment of Ancient Russian defensive wwoorrkks because in Rus stone fortifications wweere rarely erected, almost alll the fortificaattiioonnss until ass late ass the 1155tthh ccentury being wwooooddeenn

Summary

Introduction

TThhee ssttuuddyy of medieval fortificcaattiioonnss requireess a comprehensive app-proacchh. The change to a new ssttaaggee in the development of Russian military architecture took place in the second half or end of the 10th century.

Results

Conclusion