Berecz Mátyás - Bujdosné Pap Györgyi - Petercsák Tivadar (szerk.): Végvár és mentalitás a kora újkori Európában - Studia Agriensia 31. (Eger, 2015)

CIESIELSKI, TOMASZ: Fortresses on the south-eastern borders of Poland in the 18th century

by towers and short spans of walls erected in the 15th and 16th centuries. Another defence complex consisted of the Old and the New Castle. The Old Castle was built in mid-14th century, and was considerable enhanced in the early 16th century, when it received powerful defence-tower fortifications. The New Castle consisted of a homwork erected in 1618 or 1621, adjoining the Old Castle21. The war experience of the years 1672-1699 resulted in the expansion of Kamieniec’s fortifications, which began in 1704 and ended in 1790. Their main aim was to protect the town on its entire perimeter, and to modernise the gunfire coverage system for the close vicinity of the fortress. The former involved the erection of fortifications alongside 4 km of the banks of the river Smotrycz, which turned out to be impossible for financial reasons. Between 1717 and 1763, the work in Kamieniec was financed by the state and local authorities in the form of special grants awarded every few years. The grants were not large, and over the period of 46 years they amounted to a total of 0.5 million zlotys, i.e. 62,500 thalers. In the years 1764-1790, the work in Kamieniec was financed by the state treasury and king Stanislaw II August, with nearly 700,000 zlotys, i.e. 87,500 thalers being donated for the cause. The funds were sufficient for a partial modernisation of both castles by 1763, surrounding the Old Castle with a new defence wall with 10 artillery points, and erecting a gun battery called St. Ursula on the south side. After several years’ break, in 1783, one of the castle gates was renovated, and in 1790, the northern courtyard of the Old Castle was reconstructed, and a prison was built. Work conducted in the town was far more serious, with the Russian and Polish Gates being renovated, as well as the Batory Tower. In addition, over one kilometre of walls was erected, including 2 redoubts and 7 gun batteries, with another two being renovated. The greatest investment was to build the Blessed Virgin Mary gun battery, which had been built for nearly 30 years, and which protected the town on the side of the castle bridge. Underneath the battery, there was a gunpowder store and an arsenal. After all the work was completed, the towns fortifications consisted of approx. 2 km of walls, 4 large gates, 18 towers, a short tower and 18 gun batteries. After 1764, the biggest investments in the town

21 Dr. Antoni, J. (Rolle)'. Zameczki podolskie na kresach multaiiskich. vol. II: Kamieniec nad Smotryczem. Warszawa, 1880. pp. 5^15.; Nicieja, S.S.: Twierdze kresowe Rzeczypospo- litej. Warszawa, 2006. pp. 67—88.

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