Glossaire de la fortification médiévale

Medieval fortification refers to medieval military methods that cover the development of fortification construction and use in Europe, roughly from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Renaissance. During this millennium, fortifications changed warfare, and in turn were modified to suit new tactics, weapons and siege techniques. Watchtower Towers of medieval castles were usually made of stone, wood or a combination of both (with a stone base supporting a wooden loft). Often toward the later part of the era they included battlements and arrow loops. Arrow loops were vertical slits in the wall through which archers inside shot arrows at the attackers, but made it extremely difficult for attackers to get many arrows back through at the defenders. Defensive wall An exact nature of the walls of a medieval town or city would depend on the resources available for building them, the nature of the terrain, and the perceived threat. In northern Europe, early in the period, walls were likely to have been constructed of wood and proofed against small forces. Especially where stone was readily available for building, the wood will have been replaced by stone to a higher or lower standard of security. This would have been the pattern of events in the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw in England. In many cases, the wall would have had an internal and an external pomoerium. This was a strip of clear ground immediately adjacent the wall. The word is from the late medieval, derived from the classical Latin post murum ("behind the wall"). An external pomoerium, stripped of bushes and building, gave defenders a clear view of what was happening outside and an unobstructed field of shot. An internal pomoerium gave ready access to the rear of the curtain wall to facilitate movement of the garrison to a point of need. By the end of the sixteenth century, the word had developed further in common use, into pomery. Also by that time, the medieval walls were no longer secure against a serious threat from an army, as they were not designed to be strong enough to resist cannon fire.

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Concepts associés (11)

Fortification

La fortification (du latin fortificatio « action de fortifier ») est l'art militaire de renforcer une position ou un lieu par des ouvrages de défense en prévision de leur éventuelle attaque. Par extension, la fortification désigne ces ouvrages de défense eux-mêmes. thumb|left|Renforcement du rôle d'obstacle de la fortification par un abattis de branches d'arbres.

Glossaire de la fortification médiévale

vignette|Exemple réel de photo prise en plan aérien d’un château médiéval comportant une large partie des termes de ce glossaire. Ce glossaire répertorie les termes employés dans le domaine de la fortification médiévale. assommoir barbacane barrière de protection bastille bâtie bretèche caponnière château et châteaux forts châtelet courtine cunette créneau donjon douve échauguette église fortifiée embrasure fausse braie guette herse hourd lice logis seigneurial mâchicoulis maison forte manoir merlon meurtri

Siège (militaire)

vignette|redresse=1.5|Le siège du château de Horst. Gravure de Frans Hogenberg (1590). Un siège est, dans le domaine militaire, l’ensemble des actions menées en vue de s’emparer d’une place fortifiée ou d’une position ennemie. Ces actions comprennent souvent un blocus, qui permet d’affaiblir la place en la coupant de tout soutien. L’objectif est d’obtenir sa reddition ou de réussir à briser ou percer ses défenses pour l'investir. Ce qui est relatif aux sièges, ou aux villes assiégées, est dit obsidional.