Faces of War, vol. 6, City and War
Faces of War, vol. 6, City and War
Contributor(s): Tadeusz Grabarczyk (Editor), Magdalena Pogońska-Pol (Editor)
Subject(s): History, Military history
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: city; war; history of war; Hungary; Romania; Poland; Middle East; Auschwitz
Summary/Abstract: This volume titled City and War (Miasto i wojna) contains papers written by scholars from Hungary, Poland, and Romania – historians, archaeologists, and museum professionals. These papers discuss the functioning of military formations in towns and cities, and their role as an economic or military base or theatre of warfare, as well as the military duties of the town inhabitants and their weapons and other resources. In terms of chronology, the papers included in this volume cover the period from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Series: Uniwersytet Łódzki
- E-ISBN-13: 978-83-8331-013-8
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-83-8331-012-1
- Page Count: 288
- Publication Year: 2022
- Language: English
Editors’ Preface
Editors’ Preface
(Editors’ Preface)
- Author(s):Tadeusz Grabarczyk, Magdalena Pogońska-Pol
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Military history
- Page Range:7-8
- No. of Pages:2
- Keywords:city; war; history; archaeology; Hungary; Romania; Poland; Middle East; Auschwitz; medieval; 19th century; World War I; World War II; landsknechts; Maximilian I Habsburg; mercenaries; armament; Carans
Cities and Warfare in the Angevin Era (1301–1387) in Hungary
Cities and Warfare in the Angevin Era (1301–1387) in Hungary
(Cities and Warfare in the Angevin Era (1301–1387) in Hungary)
- Author(s):Ferenc Sebők
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:9-18
- No. of Pages:10
- Keywords:Angevin kings; cities; warfare; chivalry; charters
- Summary/Abstract:The period between 1301–1387 is known in Hungarian history as the age of the Angevin dynasty. The first part of this era can characterised by internal wars between royal power and feudal lords as a result of which King Charles I managed to stabilise his power, in which cities played an important role. From 1324 onwards internal peace enabled the king to focus on his foreign policy. Charles himself, too, but his son, Louis I led several campaigns abroad, some of which were important from the viewpoint of European power politics, especially the ones he led in the Kingdom of Naples. These wars displayed the differences, which can be observed between contemporary western European warfare and that of a central European army, the most important of them being the predominance of light cavalry and an almost total lack of infantry. Cities in Hungary and Dalmatia were crucial for providing the army with weapons and war materiel as well as serving as pools for recruiting soldiers.
The fight for Nocera. Conspiracy and vendetta against the Trinci brothers in Croniche di Lucca
The fight for Nocera. Conspiracy and vendetta against the Trinci brothers in Croniche di Lucca
(The fight for Nocera. Conspiracy and vendetta against the Trinci brothers in Croniche di Lucca)
- Author(s):Zoltán Szolnoki
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:19-36
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:vendetta; Croniche di Lucca; Lucca; Nocera; Italy; Middle Ages; Italy
- Summary/Abstract:Giovanni Sercambi (1348–1424) wrote on several acts of violence in his main work, entitled Croniche di Lucca. On the pages of his chronicle we can often read about vendettas, factional fights and the guilty of traitors. As regards to the latter category, the most important ones were probably the killing of Lazzaro Guinigi, Lord of Lucca in 1400, and the conspiracy against the Trinci brothers. Nicolaò and Bartolomeo Trinci were killed in 1421 by Pedro de Argillaia castellano, in the fortress of Nocera, which was the property of them. The third brother Corrado Trinci and his allied troops immediately moved to Nocera. Braccio da Montone, signore of Perugia (and famous condottiero) participated in the campaign. The army recaptured Nocera and the conspirators died. Giovanni Sercambi wrote one of the longest chapters of his historical work about the death of Niccolò and Bartolomeo Trinci. The interest of the Luchese writer is unquestionable. In contrast to the other Tuscan writers, none of whom mentions the bloody events of 1421. In my present paper, I examine the motives behind Sercambi’s account. Jean–Baptist Delzant wrote about it recently, but I approach the context differently. With the comparing analysis and the research of the contemporary political circumstances and family relations I conclude that Sercambi’s personal interest in violent events and his teaching will was only one reason. On the other hand the writer was sensible to the Guinigi’s external politics. He knew the difficult situation in external politics: the Guinigi had marriage relations with the Varani of Camerino and the Trinci of Foligno. Giovanni Sercambi could get information from the Trinci wife of Paolo Guinigi. In the light of this, I examine the special elements of the Sercambi-kind storytelling.
How Matthias Corvinus' bombards captured Głogów in 1488
How Matthias Corvinus' bombards captured Głogów in 1488
(How Matthias Corvinus' bombards captured Głogów in 1488)
- Author(s):Piotr Strzyż
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Archaeology, Military history
- Page Range:37-58
- No. of Pages:22
- Keywords:Głogów; Silesia; Matthias Corvin; Middle Ages; siege; artillery; town walls
- Summary/Abstract:Sieges in the Middle Ages were always a difficult logistical undertaking. The most serious problems were faced during sieges of such places as fortified towns or especially large castles. In such cases, a basic difficulty was posed by a need to organise a tight blockade of the selected place, in order to cut it off from any communication with the external world. Among many known sieges in the 15th century, the siege of Głogów in 1488 stands out, carried out by Hungarian troops. The hostilities lasted from 19th May to November 1488, which was almost a half of the year. The Hungarian troops were equipped with numerous pieces of artillery, including three large bombards from Wrocław, Świdnica and Legnica. These cannons inflicted considerable damage in the town during the siege. However, two of these burst. The town surrendered only after the stores of food had run out, and not due to bombardment. The course of event at Głogów demonstrates that during sieges of large centres with the use of the heaviest artillery in the 15th century it was difficult to achieve measurable success.
Emperor’s gambit? On the role of urban culture and fencing fraternities in the military reform of Maximilian I Habsburg
Emperor’s gambit? On the role of urban culture and fencing fraternities in the military reform of Maximilian I Habsburg
(Emperor’s gambit? On the role of urban culture and fencing fraternities in the military reform of Maximilian I Habsburg)
- Author(s):Maciej Talaga
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:59-80
- No. of Pages:22
- Keywords:Maximilian I Habsburg; late-medieval warfare; urban culture; history of Germany; martial arts; martial culture
- Summary/Abstract:This paper aims to trace potential links between the military reform undertaken by King Maximilian I Habsburg, initiated by forming the first Landsknecht regiments in 1486, and the privilege issued in 1487 by his father, Emperor Frederick III, for the first association of fencing masters in German history, the Brotherhood of St. Mark (Marxbrüder). The analysis presented in this paper begins with a description of the Army of the Empire (Reichsheer) prior to its reform at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, with particular focus on the role and military potential of the ministeriales. Next, the socio-cultural contexts and outcomes of the aforementioned reform are discussed, which serves as a backdrop for tracing the evolution of social perception and functioning of professional swordfighters in Germany. Especially important from this perspective is a change in the social standing of this group – from marginalisation as lose Leute to integration with the urban community and achieving the status of craftsmen. This process saw its culmination in an imperial privilege issued for the Marxbrüder by Frederick III in 1487. In the final part, somewhat contrary to previous studies (which have presented the aforementioned social advancement of fencers as a natural part of the formation of the urban guild culture), this paper posits that the imperial privilege for the Marxbrüder happened, in fact, not on Frederick’s, but rather on Maximilian’s initiative. Such a view seems to be supported by Maximilian’s strong connections with the martial arts community of the period and his war experiences in the Netherlands, as well as his personal involvement in designing and realising a thorough military reform. In this context, it may be hypothesised that by procuring imperial privilege for urban fencers, the young monarch hoped to initiate social change within the German urban community which would facilitate incorporating burghers into the structures of the new military model.
Terebovlia as the location for the Polish troops’ stay in 1557 and 1558
Terebovlia as the location for the Polish troops’ stay in 1557 and 1558
(Terebovlia as the location for the Polish troops’ stay in 1557 and 1558)
- Author(s):Tadeusz Grabarczyk
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:81-102
- No. of Pages:22
- Keywords:Trembowla; Terebovlia; Kingdom of Poland; castle; army; mercenaries; armament; 16th century
- Summary/Abstract:In 1557 and 1558, Terebovlia was the place of the stay of the Polish army, whose task was to defend the Ruthenian lands of the Kingdom of Poland against the Tatar invasions. Surviving written records contain information about the Polish mercenary army staying in the town – the number, composition, armament, and commanders of the troops. According to these sources, in 1557 more than 1,000 mounted soldiers passed through the town, and a similar number of troops visited the town in the following year. At that time, Terebovlia was not the only meeting place for the army that was supposed to stop the Tatar raids, but it was here that the largest number of them was gathered. In 1558, the mercenaries participated in a battle against the Crimean Tatars, who were then invading the south-eastern lands of the Kingdom of Poland. There were some military actions against the invaders, but they were not big battles – rather small skirmishes that took place in the area from Terebovlia to Bar, between the rivers Dniester and Boh. For these troops, Terebovlia was a relatively safe place in the immediate vicinity of the ongoing war.
Towns as the Recruitment Base to Mercenaries during the Reign of the Last Jagiellons
Towns as the Recruitment Base to Mercenaries during the Reign of the Last Jagiellons
(Towns as the Recruitment Base to Mercenaries during the Reign of the Last Jagiellons)
- Author(s):Aleksander Bołdyrew
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:103-121
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:late medieval/early modern history of warfare; Kingdom of Poland; mercenaries; towns; state capacity
- Summary/Abstract:The newest research of mercenary armies at the time of the Jagiellons shows among others the social-territorial structure of the these forces’ soldiers. In that one knows towns were more important element in the soldiers’ recruitment system than one has believed hitherto. However, from wider point of view, the enhancement of the townsfolk’s participation in the army instead of the peasants did not imply the growth of the towns’ standing in the state structures. The analyse of these questions leads to the conclusion that the standing of the Kingdom of Poland towns was low, what had consequences not only in the military field, but also translate to the economic and politic functioning of the state. These issues were discussed in the connection with the time of the last Jagiellons’ reign, using the sources unheralded until now (registers of the Polish Crown army from the Sigismund II Augustus’s reign time stored away in the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw).
Hungarian Towns against the Ottoman Advance in the Middle Ages: the Cases of Pécs, Szeged and Temesvár
Hungarian Towns against the Ottoman Advance in the Middle Ages: the Cases of Pécs, Szeged and Temesvár
(Hungarian Towns against the Ottoman Advance in the Middle Ages: the Cases of Pécs, Szeged and Temesvár)
- Author(s):István Petrovics
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:123-149
- No. of Pages:27
- Keywords:Hungary; towns; Ottomans; XIV–XVI century; Szeged; war
- Summary/Abstract:The study aims to demonstrate the geographical, legal and political status of three southern Hungarian towns and the role that these towns played in the wars against the Ottomans from the late 14th to the early 16th century. Pécs, located in the Transdanubian part of the realm was a rich episcopal city, while Szeged lying at the confluence of the Rivers Tisza and Maros was a thriving royal free town of the Great Hungarian Plain. The third town, Temesvár (today Timişoara, Romania) located on the eastern fringe of the Great Hungarian Plain was a royal seigneurial town, the seat of the powerful counts of Temes which served as the gateway of the realm to the Balkans. The study consists of three chapters: the first analyses the development and characteristics of the towns under scrutiny in the Middle Ages, the second outlines Ottoman-Hungarian relations between the late 14th and the mid-16th century, while the third examines the role that these towns played in the anti-Ottoman wars.
Excavations from the medieval city of Caransebeș
Excavations from the medieval city of Caransebeș
(Excavations from the medieval city of Caransebeș)
- Author(s):Silviu Oța
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Archaeology
- Page Range:151-174
- No. of Pages:24
- Keywords:fortification; town; workshop; tower; iron; cemetery
- Summary/Abstract:Systematic archaeological research in the fortified medieval city of Caransebeș/Sebeș began in 2017. The fortified medieval city, attested for the first time in historical records in 1290 during the reign of Ladislaus IV of Hungary, belonged to an area of Byzantine influence in the 12th century, and later (most probably between 1186 and 1231–1232) fell under the influence of the second Vlach-Bulgarian Tsardom. Around 1231–1232 the discussed region (together with Caransebeș) became part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Both the city and the surrounding region had a predominantly Vlach population. For archaeological research we had at our disposal several plans of the city dated to the 17–18th centuries. Some time after the 1718 peace treaty signed in Požarevac (Passarowitz) between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy, the Caransebeș fortress was destroyed. Currently, only a few fragments of the fortifications are preserved in its northern area, but further archaeological excavations are needed to establish their precise dating and context. In the context of tensions between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy, the border city underwent rapid transformations over short periods of time during the 17–18th centuries. After 1551–1552, the region and implicitly the city of Caransebeș came under the authority of the Transylvanian princes. It was conquered by the Turks in 1658 and occupied by the Austrians in 1688, who proceeded to rearrange the Italian-style fortifications. The works were not completed, however, because the Ottoman Empire regained possession of the fortress in 1696 and held it until 1718. Over the course of three research seasons, we identified remains of three fragments of structures and a fragment of a ravelin on the north side, two fragments of the stone-paved road that crossed the city, and two fragments of the inner city walls. In the central area west of the road, both medieval and modern houses, fragments of iron processing workshops, and a possible pharmacy or spice shop were partially excavated. Moreover, on the surface of the ground inside the inner fortification, traces of walls were discovered, while on its outside – human osteological remains, indicating the presence of a church, especially when we consider that the plans of the fortress dated to the end of the 17th century, and that a Polish coin issued in 1627 during the reign of Sigismund III Vasa (1587–1632), most likely resulting from a destroyed grave, was discovered in situ. Overall, we can say that we were able to correlate cartographic, historical, and archaeological information in order to clarify the stages of the spatial development of the city, especially during the 16–18th centuries. Based on historical sources, we were able to find out more about who its inhabitants were, their religions, and the transformations that took place from a religious and administrative point of view.
Arms and armour of Kraków guilds in light of the 1683 register
Arms and armour of Kraków guilds in light of the 1683 register
(Arms and armour of Kraków guilds in light of the 1683 register)
- Author(s):Jacek Zinkiewicz
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:175-191
- No. of Pages:17
- Keywords:Kraków; arms and armour; city defence; early modern history; the Ottoman threat
- Summary/Abstract:The question of the armament of city arsenals in early modern Poland has so far been overlooked by researchers. The issues of defence architecture, sieges, and occupation have been discussed much more often. Meanwhile, it should be remembered that from the Middle Ages to the end of the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, city militias, mostly composed of guilds, played a fundamental role in city defence. Therefore, both the training and arming of city militias was very important, as proven by the defence of Kraków during the Habsburg siege in 1587 and later during the Swedish siege in 1655. The mid-17th century marked the beginning of the decline of this thriving royal city. Looted and destroyed during the two-year Swedish occupation in 1655–1657, it needed time to rebuild its defence system. The Sejm constitutions of 1658 and 1659 referred to this, but it was not until 1670 that a commission, chaired by Bishop Andrzej Trzebicki, met on this matter. Another external threat soon appeared, this time from Turkey. In 1683, the possibility of a siege of Kraków by Ottoman troops or their vassals was seriously considered. The solution was the alliance of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with Austria, which, among other things, assumed mutual assistance in the event of a siege of either capital – Vienna or Kraków. When the Turkish army launched a siege of the Austrian capital on July 14, 1683, elected councillors in Kraków inspected their own city’s defences. As a result of the undertaken inspection, the Revisia Baszt w Krakowie (The Review of Towers in Kraków) (Ms 423, p. 6, 25–34, held in The Scientific Library of the PAAS and the PAS in Kraków) was written, which, apart from the description of the state of preservation of the fortifications, contains a previously unpublished register of weapons for individual guilds. This source allows us to largely know the combat readiness of the then-defenders of Kraków. The inventory presented shows a serious armament shortage that could have sufficed for fewer than 500 people
Automotive services in “Festung Krakau” during World War I
Automotive services in “Festung Krakau” during World War I
(Automotive services in “Festung Krakau” during World War I)
- Author(s):Robert Gaweł
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:193-212
- No. of Pages:20
- Keywords:army; Austro-Hungarian Empire; Kraków Stronghold; motorisation; World War I
- Summary/Abstract:Since antiquity, the army has been the driving force behind technological development, including the development of motorisation. While the first mechanical vehicle was constructed in 1769, the turning point in motorisation was the construction of the first diesel-powered vehicle. The Austro-Hungarian armed forces were among those interested in the possibility of using mechanical vehicles. The first tests of a military truck intended for the Austro-Hungarian army initiated a series of various mechanical vehicle tests. As a part of such tests, the first trucks appeared on the streets of Kraków in 1903. With the outbreak of the Great War, the number of military vehicles in Kraków considerably increased. The armed forces also commandeered several facilities in the city to function as workshops, fuel storehouses, and parking for their vehicles. In 1916, the first genuine military vehicle maintenance barracks and workshop complex was built in the Kraków Stronghold.
Szeged as hinterland between 1915–1917
Szeged as hinterland between 1915–1917
(Szeged as hinterland between 1915–1917)
- Author(s):István Tóth
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:213-230
- No. of Pages:18
- Keywords:Hinterland; Szeged; Hungary; First World War; local history
- Summary/Abstract:The theme pay attention in six particular units, which identified the stability of hinterland. Beside the sparse bibliographical sources, mostly it use primary archival sources like mayor documents of Szeged, council documents of Szeged, lord lieutenant documents of Szeged. Also use Délmagyrország newspaper from the four daily newspapers, which has more than 70 articles about this theme, what can reflect the daily life of this term. It handles every fields properly in proportion and in weight. It speaks in the field of catering about provision of grain, flour, meat and eggs. In the theme of military aid takes a look to the sacrifice to weigh on this the donate skills in the city. It discusses about an important thing too, the situation of women and children because they went to the factories after the men who marched into the army and in this theme speaks about what happened with the factories. The second really big part of the dissertation the finance, the public security and the health care. The finance and the public security are good evidence of the well managed background city’s requirement. Inside of the health care is really important factor the ordinary health situation, defnese against epidemics and activate of the field hospitals. As attachments and imagery, I tried to insert the archival documents, posters, pictures of the Móra Ferenc Museum which are connecting with this theme and term.
The Reaction of the Underground Press to the Displacement of Polish Children from the Zamość Region to Siedlce in 1943
The Reaction of the Underground Press to the Displacement of Polish Children from the Zamość Region to Siedlce in 1943
(The Reaction of the Underground Press to the Displacement of Polish Children from the Zamość Region to Siedlce in 1943)
- Author(s):Beata Kozaczyńska
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:231-242
- No. of Pages:12
- Keywords:transit camp in Zamość; UWZ-Lager Zamość; Underground Press; Displacement of Polish Children; Siedlce; World War II; Germans; Children of Zamojszczyzna; exterminatio
- Summary/Abstract:During World War II, the Germans committed many crimes against Poles, whom they forcibly displaced from the Zamość region. After the Poles had been driven out of their homes, they were placed in transit camps, which included the camp in Zamość (UWZ-Lager Zamosc). In the Zamość camp, the Germans conducted racial tests and separated children from their mothers. After a few days or several weeks, children who were “racially worthless” (and therefore unfit for Germanization) were transported under severe freezing conditions in crowded cattle carriages, without water or food. The Germans sent six “death transports” from Zamość to a town in the eastern part of the Warsaw district. One of these transports carrying children and old people displaced from the Zamość region reached the train station in Siedlce. Many of the children were in disastrous health. The inhabitants of Siedlce and the surrounding area rushed to help, organizing a quick action to save the lives and health of the children. The mass murder of Polish children from the Zamość region caused terror, widespread indignation, and protest of the Polish population in the occupied Polish territory. On February 3rd, 1943, a silent demonstration took place in Siedlce during a mass funeral for displaced persons, both children and adults, who died during the transport and right after the transport had arrived in the city. These events were reflected in the pages of underground magazines.
Relations of the KL Auschwitz staff with the civilians of Oświęcim and the surrounding area in the years 1940–1945
Relations of the KL Auschwitz staff with the civilians of Oświęcim and the surrounding area in the years 1940–1945
(Relations of the KL Auschwitz staff with the civilians of Oświęcim and the surrounding area in the years 1940–1945)
- Author(s):Agnieszka Kita
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:243-261
- No. of Pages:19
- Keywords:KL Auschwitz; SS; civilians; Oświęcim; World War II
- Summary/Abstract:The town of Oświęcim (German: Auschwitz) is invariably associated with the concentration and extermination camp that operated in its vicinity in the years 1940–1945. For many people, it comes as a surprise that during the war, in the shadow of the camp, a small garrison town functioned quite normally. It was an unusual town, considering that its original inhabitants – Poles and Jews – had been displaced, and the army that was stationed here was the SS garrison from KL Auschwitz. This paper aims to present the mutual relations between the civilian population (the remaining Poles, the settlers from the Reich, and the Volksdeutsche) and the SS men. How did they interact with each other? What restrictions and rules applied to their mutual relations? Why were the SS men not allowed to visit certain establishments? And why did the commandants devote so much attention in their orders to women? I have tried to find answers to the above-mentioned questions (and many more) in this paper. As my source base, I have predominantly used the orders of the commandant’s office (Kommandanturbefehle), the orders of the garrison commander (Standortbefehle), and the statements of civilians and former prisoners of the Auschwitz camp, all of which can be found in the Archives of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim.
Qana – a town of two tragedies
Qana – a town of two tragedies
(Qana – a town of two tragedies)
- Author(s):Marek Brylew
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History
- Page Range:263-285
- No. of Pages:23
- Keywords:Hezbollah; Qana; Lebanon; Grapes of Wrath; Second Lebanon War
- Summary/Abstract:Qana is a town located in the south of Lebanon, 14 km from Tyre, inhabited mostly by Shiʽite Muslims and a small number of Christians. According to the research of Lebanese historian Dr. Youssef El Hourany, Qana is known to have been the place where Jesus turned water into wine. However, for most Lebanese, Qana is associated with human suffering, martyrdom, and a symbol of resistance to Israel’s military aggression. In 1996, 106 people were killed in the town as a result of shelling by Israeli artillery. Ten years later, Israel attacked Qana again in an airstrike that resulted in the deaths of 27 more. Sixteen years after the tragedy, it is more and more difficult to find the causes, the course of events and generally – what exactly happened in Qana. As a participant and witness of those events, it is the author’s aim to revive the memory of the tragic fate of the inhabitants of that small town in southern Lebanon.
