English Civil War Fortifications, 1642-1651 (Fortress 9)

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. Sieges that aimed at isolating and reducing fortified places became the dominant instrument for prosecuting the war and protective fortifications were vital, for both the besieged as well as the besieger. This title describes how both the Parliamentarians and the Royalists made use of new fortification techniques throughout the course of this conflict. A study of the fortifications used in England during the Civil War. It covers the defences of London and Oxford, as well as looking at castles, earthworks and field fortifications. The author also traces the development of new defence systems that were developed by engineers such as De Gomme. Note: Britain during the Civil War used the Julian calendar with the New Year beginning on 25 March.