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Organization: University of Dundee Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 16:51:00 GMT Subject: Re: European fortification research? I thought I would reply to the web on this, not least because many members are probably interested in the replies. I certainly look forward to some of the comments. Anybody interested in C17-18 fortification would certainly do well to look along France's north-eastern frontier. But there is, of course much more. There are some fine things on France's borders further south (and in neighbouring Piedmont & Savoy). However, one part of Europe which I feel has been greatly neglected from the point of view of fortifications is the border between Spain & Portugal. Following the Portuguese War of 'Restoration' (1660-68) a small, weak & vulnerable Portugal needing to defend itself did so by building a series of forts along the border with Spain. In the north, the Minho (the area I know best) these included the now relatively small beer Moncao (works being cleared of rubbish last year or the year before) & the really splendid Valenca do Minho (excellent example of mid-late C17 military architecture). The latter is probably best seen from across the river in (Spanish) Tuy (which offers an example of a much older type of fortification). There is a really fine research project to be done, wandering through Spain & Portugal photographing & drawing these defences, & doing archival work on their construction, cost & garrisoning, & on their role relative to other aspects of defence in Portugal's survival ater 1668. This latter may be difficult in view of the destruction of pre 1755 archival material in the Lisbon earthquake, but records of the Council of War from the earlier period do survive I believe in the Torre do Tombo, Lisbon. Local archives (Moncao, Valenca, Porto etc) may hold more. I hope this is helpful (& think I may have devised a future research project). [Christopher Storrs]
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