Re: Fortified Villages

["Tomaszek"]

hi there!!

    I would suggest precising the land area ;) because have informations
about besieging the city of Starodub (Russia) by Polish army during the
Russo-Polish war in the year 1535, but i do not know if it will be
interesting for You;)...

    I know that the time may be a bit late, but the most  important thing is
that Starodub has STILL wood and ground fortifications (by that i want to
underline that the city was definietely defend by that type of
fortifications in the end XV century)... from the diaries of Polish
commander - Jan Tarnowski - it is known that large calliber cannons that he
took were completely useless agains the fortifications of the city Starodub
(which were consisting of oak-wood constructions of cuboid shape - known as
"izbice" - filled with ground - which were impassable for Polish canonfire).
Luckilly Tarnowski took with himself large number of high skilled miners &
sappers. During the artillery bombardement they made large sap (excavation?
sorry i do not know which word is better), and shortly before the attack
detonated large mines in it. This strategy was completely unknown in Russia
of that so the suprise was complete. Large part of the fortifications were
destroyed, huge fire occur and the Starodub was taken...

to be more precise i must add that the forces weren`t strictly Polish, but
rather Lithuenian with Polish help(20.000 Lithuenians - mostly cavalry, and
6500 Poles). Poland & Lithuenia were in personal union in that times, and
that is why i took this "shortcut" :).

and - Starodub is a city of former Soviet Union, today it lays in Russia
about  125-140 km south-west of Briansk (between Briansk & Gomel, close to
the Desna river)...

regards
Tom







> I'm beginning to research fortified villages especially to look for any
> which had wooden fortifications instead of stone or brick.  While I have
> found a few articles and places to look any help would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Brent
> --
> REG: All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education,
> wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public
> health, what have the Romans ever done for us?
> XERXES: Brought peace.
>
>