Medieval Russian Fortresses AD 8621480
By (Author) Konstantin S Nossov
Illustrated by Peter Dennis
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Osprey Publishing
4th April 2007
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Warfare and defence
Architecture: castles and fortifications
European history: medieval period, middle ages
623.19470902
Paperback
64
Width 184mm, Height 248mm, Spine 7mm
242g
According to Russian legend, in the year AD 862 the Slav tribes of what is now European Russia invited a number of Scandinavian princes to rule over them. However, on the death of these princes, Prince Oleg seized Kiev and united the Northern and Southern Russian territories, building extensive fortifications to protect its borders. The rise of feudalism in the 11th century lead to the development of individual fortified sites and the extended border defenses fell into disrepair. Consequently, Mongol hordes poured over the border introducing the siege warfare techniques of the East, heavily influencing the fortification styles thereafter. Using a wealth of archeological evidence and first-hand sources, Konstantin Nossov charts the history of the medieval Russian fortress from its early beginnings until the 14th century, paying special attention to the development of one of the most iconic fortifications in the world: the Kremlin.
"The author presents a clear history of the development of fortifications during this period... The drawings are excellent and...the book is a valuable edition to coverage on medieval fortifications." --Coastal Defense Journal
Konstantin Nossov was born in 1972 and is a graduate of Moscow State University and a researcher in Ancient and Medieval Military History as well as author of a number of books published in Russian. He has also written a number of English-language magazine articles. Peter Dennis was born in 1950. Inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn he studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects. He is a keen wargamer and modelmaker. He is based in Nottinghamshire, UK