The Vauban Fortifications of France (Fortress)

Vauban was the foremost military engineer of France during the period of its centralisation and wars of expansion in the 17th and 18th centuries. His influence persisted long after Waterloo, and his name has become synonymous with the science of the construction, defence and attack of bastioned fortresses. Dunkirk, Toulon, Perpignan, Verdun and Brest stand out among the many historically significant sites created by this incredible engineer. This book examines the many achievements of this pivotal figure in fortification history, exploring the sites and their subsequent significance. Vauban was the foremost military engineer of France, not only during his lifetime, but also throughout the 18th century when his legacy and methods remained in place almost unchanged. Indeed, his expertise and experience in the construction, defence, and attack of fortresses is unrivalled by any of his contemporaries, of any nationality. In all three of those fields he was a significant innovator and prolific exponent, having planned approximately 160 major defensive projects and directed over 50 sieges. This book provides not only a modern listing of his varied interventions and their fates, but also a wide-ranging discussion of just how and why they pushed forward the international boundaries of the arts of fortification. Contents......Page 5 Vauban: an indefatigable servant of the king......Page 6 The limits of Vauban's achievement......Page 11 The Pre Carre......Page 13 Vauban's pragmatic innovations......Page 23 The importance of depth defence......Page 31 Operational history......Page 34 Principles of defence and features of fortress design......Page 41 Aftermath......Page 58 The sites today......Page 60 Glossary......Page 64 Index......Page 66 Dunkirk, Toulon, Perpignan, Verdun and Brest stand out among the many historically significant sites created by Sebastien LePrestre de Vauban (1633-1707). This book examines the achievements of this pivotal figure in fortification history, exploring the sites and their subsequent significance.