Siege

For the Boston area punk band see Siege (band). For the James Mason book see Siege (book)

Related Topics:
Siege (band) - James Mason - Siege (book)

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A siege is a prolonged military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that refuses to surrender and cannot be easily taken by a frontal assault. Sieges usually involve surrounding the target and blocking the provision of supplies, typically coupled with siege engines, artillery bombardment or sapping (also known as mining) to reduce fortifications.

Related Topics:
Military - Blockade - Assault - City - Fortress - Attrition - Surrender - Frontal assault - Siege engines - Artillery - Sapping - Fortifications

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Sieges probably predate the development of cities as large population centers. Ancient cities in the Middle East show archeological evidence of having had fortified city walls. During the Renaissance and the Early Modern period, siege warfare dominated the conduct of war in Europe. Leonardo da Vinci gained as much of his renown from the design of fortifications as from his artwork.

Related Topics:
Middle East - Archeological - City wall - Renaissance - Early Modern - Leonardo da Vinci

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Medieval campaigns were generally designed around a succession of sieges. In the Napoleonic era, increasing use of ever more powerful cannon reduced the value of fortifications. In modern times, trenches replaced walls, and bunkers replaced castles. In the 20th century, the significance of the classical siege declined. With the advent of mobile warfare, one single fortified stronghold is no longer as decisive as it once was. While sieges do still occur, they are not as common as they once were due to changes in modes of battle, principally the ease by which huge volumes of destructive power can be directed onto a static target.

Related Topics:
Medieval - Napoleonic - Cannon - Trenches - Bunker - 20th century

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A military siege can have four possible outcomes:

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• The defenders can repulse it without aid from the outside, in which case the position is said to have been held;
• If the defenders prevail with outside aid the siege is deemed to have been relieved or raised;
• When a siege results in the attackers taking control of the besieged city or fortress but the defensive forces are able to escape, the outcome is characterized as evacuated, and;
• If the attacking force emerges victorious and also destroys and/or captures the defenders, the besieged entity is reckoned as having fallen.
 
Siege: Ancient and medieval siege warfare ►