After the Napoleonic Wars the borders of Central Europe were redrawn and relative peace endured across the region, but the volatile politics of the late nineteenth century generated an atmosphere of fear and distrust, and it gave rise to a new era of fortress building, and this is the subject of thi[...]

The Maginot Line, the complex system of strongpoints constructed between the world wars by the French to protect against attack from Germany, is one of the most famous, extensive and controversial defensive schemes in all military history. It stretched from Belgium to Switzerland, and from Switzerla[...]

The layout of the majority of Peruvian towns and settlements, including the capital Cuzco, evolved form the ubiquitous fortified family compound called the cancha, contributing to the Incan infrastructure. This book explores the development and practice of Incan fortifications and examines how they [...]