Zasechnaya cherta

The Russian Verhaulinie (Russian Засечная черта ) was about the 13th to the 18th century. It was a special from afforestation, earthen walls and a ring of fortified towns existing system of fortifications that had been built at the southern and south-eastern borders of the Grand Duchy of Moscow and later the Russian Tsardom. Thereby, the frequent attacks should be blocked effectively.

History

The use of Verhaulinien in Russian lands for protection against raids took place for the first time in Novgorod documents from the 12th century mention. Not later than the 13th century, this type of border fortification was also common in other ancient Russian principalities. From this time, the first mention of the area of ​​the river Oka extending fortifications, which were later expanded to the Great Moscow Verhaulinie come.

Since the Russian principalities were attacked in particular has always been from the south and southeast - particularly dangerous here were the warriors of the Golden Horde and the Crimean Tatar state - it was necessary, especially after the founding of the Moscow Principality unit in the 16th century, the southern limits of Tatars to make as impassable. When exactly started the construction of the Moscow Verhaulinie is not known, but this places already existing fortifications were used. 1566 Finally, during the reign of Tsar Ivan IV " the Terrible ", the marginal plant was completed.

Your immediate use was the Moscow Verhaulinie especially in the 16th century, when the southern borders of the Moscow state went through the steppe areas south of the Oka. Beginning of the 17th century were part of the fortifications the attacks not withstanding, since the Crimean Tatars were located at that time, when large parts of the Tsardom under Polish-Lithuanian occupation, increased their attacks against the weakened Russia. Even the non-damaged parts of the border fortifications were already obsolete in the early 17th century, which prompted the Russian rulers to have to expand again the plants in the 1630s. This work was financed by a special tax. Other development work on the Verhaulinie there were still isolated in the 1660s and 1670s; however, since at this time the boundaries of the Tsardom had already extended far to the south, lost the old Verhaulinie in importance and was finally abandoned in the 18th century at the latest. Instead, new border fortification lines were built, as well as at Simbirsk in the area of ​​the river Kama in the late 17th century.

Location and characteristics

The Verhaulinie of the Moscow State extended the course of the Oka following approximately the 16th and 17th centuries. Large parts of the border were on the territory of today's oblasts Moscow, Kaluga, Tula, Orel and Ryazan.

What exactly was used as a fastening depended mainly on the topography and the natural environment. In many places special forest strips were applied, which made ​​quickly in the defense case in the south and could be made ​​into an impenetrable obstacle to the attacker. In times of peace such forest strips by law were protected from impact, and also to enter the territories was prohibited except for specified Passi Create. In less heavily wooded areas artificial obstacles were created instead of afforestation, such as natural gas or wood walls. Often, however, were also natural obstacles, such as major rivers and swamps, included with the defensive line. The total length of the Moscow Verhaulinie came in the 1630s to over 1000 kilometers. The artificial fortifications were places have a width of up to 60 km.

The fortifications were supplemented by one along the southern territories of Muscovy extending ring of fortified towns whose core typically represented an old Russian Kremlin. These fortified towns included, among others Kolomna, Tula, Ryazan and Wenjow. Overall, among 40 cities on this defensive ring.

In places, remains of old fortifications have survived until today. These include primarily the former strongholds in the belonging to the Verhaulinie cities, but also the remains of forest strips and artificial plants. For example, the strip of forest in some places can be seen to this day on aerial photographs. The border remains around Tula - the so-called " Tula mess " - are now a protected monument.