Cheval de frise

A Spanish rider (also riders Friesian or Cheval de frize ) is a well known since the Middle Ages under this name and used barrier.

History

Approach obstacles in the form of closely placed stone pillars are, like palisades, already known from the past and in the British Isles ( DREVA Fort ( Scotland), Dun Aengus and Dun Duchathair ( on the Aran Islands), Ballykinvarga ( County Clare ) and Dunamo ( County Mayo ) spread.

In the Iberian Peninsula, they are still heaped encountered; Carvalhelhos Castro (Portugal ) or Castro of Yecla la Vieja and Castro de la Mesa de Miranda at Avila in Spain. The vorbronzezeitlichen plants were pure approach obstacles that protected in the sense of Temenos places of worship before profane or access from outside view.

Presence

Modern Spanish rider typically consist of approximately 1.5 m long X-shaped tied together and sharpened rods, which are connected by a 5 to 6 m long longitudinal rod so that you can not crawl through. Originally they were made ​​of wood and directed against Rider and served the bearing mounting. You put forth them by by a long tree ( body ) top posts ( springs ) or the short spears or Pig springs of the infantry stuck to cross each other. The body was carried on a cart, sometimes the whole device was created to drive. In the 19th century they were made more out of angle iron and served to protect from passages and fords.

Today they should hold mainly infantry (and other people) as well as light vehicles. The mobile elements, they are also for closing of passages, eg at roadblocks. In modern times, the protective effect was often enhanced by the additional attachment of barbed wire.

Your name should have received the Spanish rider during the Dutch War of Independence. With their help, succeeded the Spanish during their siege of the city of Groningen, keep the hurrying to the relief cavalry from their positions. In other languages ​​, therefore they are called frieze horsemen (French Chevaux de Frise, Italian Cavallo di Frisia ).

Such fuses were used in 1961 for blocking the borders to West Berlin.

As a further development of the Spanish horsemen of the Czech hedgehogs can be considered, which was developed in the 20th century as a roadblock.