DreamWeaver

I was having a discussion with some friends the other day about Medieval warfare, and this subject came up.

Medieval warfare has consistently been examined from only one or two perspectives. From the idea of generalship, stratergy and tactics, or the lack there of depending onones viewpoint. The specific nature of arms and armour and their use and production. Naval and siege warfare also, and most recently the nature of special operations.

Yet Urban warfare seems to be largely ignored. That is to say actual warfare conducted in urban settings. Where the buildings and streets of the city are the actual battlefield. Where the 2 forces origins lies within the city's walls, as opposed to a besieging army breaking in and the running riot. The study of siege warfare in the middle ages seems to dominate and overshadow such actions, or that such conflicts may have been rather small and relegated to the status of internal urban domestic violence and other such minor rebellions. Mirroring riotings and the untamed actions of the mob as opposed to the more 'disciplined' (as it were) nature of actualarfare.


I myself am only really familiar with one such conflict, and would be interested to hear if other people know of particular examples highlighting this rather negelected part of medieval history.

The War of St. Sabas 1256-58


Acre, the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in its second incarnation was in these years the principal battleground between Venice and Genoa, who engaged in open conflict over control and access to this vital Mediterranean emporium. Starting over s dispute over the possession of the Monastery of St. Sabas, which was crucially located in the city's topogrpahy close to the harbour, and thus of interest financially to the two Italian Communes, for control of it might provide a convenient short cut, bypassing gates and tolls as goods were transfered from the harbour to their respective markets and warehouses. A profitable piece of territory for its owner.

Genoa allied with the Pisans pre-emptively attacked the Venetians, set fire to much of their quarter and comandeering the Venetian ships in the harbour. Venice after some fighting managed to regain control of its quarter. By the mid 13th Century all the quarters of the city of Acre were fortified with internal walls and gates, and the Italians, mirroring their home cities, had built fortified towers to control and defend their possessions. The Pisans, Genoese and Venetians each possessing two.

The Baonage of the Kingdom of Jerusalem called a peace conference to restore order, but thisbroke down as the Genoese and Venetian consusl had to be physically restarianed from doing harm to one another. The answer was war.

The Venetians and Genoese each sought allies in the city and the rest of Outremer. Venice gained the help of the Templars, Teutonic Knights, Merchants of Marseille, and much of the native baronage, though there was some disagreement first. The Patriarchof Jerusalem convinced the Pisans to turn on their former allies. The Genoese gained aid from the Hospitallers and Anconan merchants and other barons, including Phillip de Montfort Lord of Tyre and the Genoese descended Lords of Jubail. Bohemond VI Prince of Antioch sided with the Venetians and attempted to place his nepheww the infant Hugh II of Cyprus on the 'empty' throne of Jerusalem.

Phillip and Bohemond both dispatched troops to the city, 800 in the latters case. There in the streets of Acre battle was joined. Chroniclers inform us that Knights charged in unison against the Italians. The Genoese overran the Pisan quarter in retribution for their treachery. Over 50 siege machines were built, the bombardment becoming so intense that the Master of the Temple was forced to flee his house and seek shelter at the Master of the Order of St Lazarus, the Leper Knights.

Genoa and Venice dispatched fleet to protect their overseas interests, and despite Genoas larger fleet, they were defeated b the Venetian force. The Templars and barons blockaded the Genoese quarter and lowly starved them into submission. The Hospitallers attempted to provide food to the Genoese, but they were unsuccessful. Geno eventually capitualted and they were expelled from the city. Their towers having been destroyed. The Venetians sent the Genoese bricks back ot Venice as a trophy. The Victors divided up the Genoese quarter amongst themselves. The Genoese were forced to retire to Tyre, where Phillip de Montfort had managed to expel the Venetians.

Further relief fleets which attempted to reverse the situation sent by Genoa were regualrly defeated across the mediterranean in 1258 and 1259. Acre had been lost.

However in 1261 the Genoese aiding the Byzantines recaptured Constantinople, terminating Venetian control there.

Cedar Brown

When a town was besieged, the walls breached and taken the garrison would usually retreat to the citadel. However, I've read of a couple cases where the people of the town fought back in the streets. Mainly in the Low Countries and France. The townspeople dropped metals bars, wooden beams, shingles, cobblestones or whatever down on the attackers from the rooftops of houses. The narrow streets made this quite effective.

But if there was combat in the side streets it was usually a mass slaughter of non-combatants.

DreamWeaver

The more heavily urbanised areas of the Low Countirs and Northern Italy would seem likely places to find such examples.

DreamWeaver

Anybody knowof any other examples?

Cedar Brown

None come to mind. The fighting was almost always situated in open fields were troops could move about. If fighting were to occur in the streets of a city it would be after the walls were breached and before the garrison made it to the citadel.

An urban environment gives little advantage to the defenders when you are armed with swords and spears. Archers have no open field of fire and cavalry can't charge or manouevre.

DreamWeaver

Unless as per St. Sabas where it was a more internal matter already.

Cedar Brown

Yes, and internal matters were much more likely to just be a straight out slaughter instead of a battle.

There are plenty of massacres to speak of.

DreamWeaver

Indeed, events such as the Sicilian Vespers come to mind.

Yet Sabas involved use of siege machinery. Slightly more sophisticatd than an outright slaughter. I find it doubtful that it would be a stand alone event.

Frank81

From the other side of the world, Battle of Kyoto, 1467
The Samurai: a military history - Google Libros

P.24-30 The culture of civil war in Kyoto - Google Libros


Samurai fighting in the streets, palaces and temples of the old capital, quite fascinating i think.

david II

The War of St. Sabas. That's really interesting. I've read about this conflict on secondary sources, and they glossed very quickly over the details. Thanks for posting. I wasn't able to get a clear footnote reference regarding it either, do you know if where it is mentioned , as in chroniclers/primary sources?

Galbert of Bruges's The Murder of Charles the Good, ed. by James Bruce Ross has lots of urban conflict -- a mini civil war within the city.

Joinville's chronicle of the Battle of Mansourah also details a stage of major urban conflict, in which the Egyptians lure the crusaders into the streets, then ambush them with stones dropped from above, fires, etc.. The crusaders that were caught in the ambush were toast. This battle didn't originate inside the city, but it wasn't a typical seige break-in followed by chaos either... The city was actually used as part of the defenders' strategy in the battle.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head at the moment...