A History of the Late Medieval Siege, 1200-1500

the long version

"The siege dominated warfare across the medieval world from Ireland to China. Contemporary evidence -- chronicle histories, and government records -- survive in great quantities for the late medieval period and are used in this book to offer a comprehensive picture of siege warfare, alongside archaeological evidence. Similar methods were practised everywhere, with knowledge of new technologies spreading quickly, and experts selling their skills to any willing employer. The erection of defences capable of withstanding attack became an increasingly expensive proposition, but in many cases of need, simple earth and timber defences continued to serve. Whether some of the immense surviving monuments of this age really had any military function at all is examined, but the prevalence of warfare meant that any structure could find itself used as a defence. This book begins with the Mongol conquests in Asia and Europe and the thirteenth century apogee of pre-gunpowder siege warfare, before exploring the slow impact of guns and the cumulatively massive transformation of attack and defence during the fifteenth century"--Jacket.