Osprey Fortress 9 : English Civil War Fortifications 1642-1651

The techniques of European warfare were transformed during the 15th and 16th centuries by the use of gunpowder and by substantial progress in the effectiveness and destructive power of artillery. The series of conflicts in the 1640s, known collectively as the English Civil War, was the first in the British Isles that reflected this new reality. Protective fortifications were vital, for both the besieged as well as the besieger. Sieges that aimed at isolating and reducing fortified places became the dominant instrument for prosecuting the war. This book describes how both the Parliamentarians and the Royalists made use of new fortification techniques throughout the course of this conflict. Text by Peter Harrington with illustrations by Donato Spedaliere and Sarah Sulemsohn Spedaliere.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Design and Development
• Tour of the Sites
• The Principles of Defence
• The Living Sites
• Operational History
• Aftermath
• The Sites Today
• Bibliography and Further Reading
• Glossary
• Index