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"Combato com as paredes" - As operações de cerco nas guerras entre Portugal e Castela (1383-1398)
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Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
A morte de D. Fernando I nos finais de 1383 lançou Portugal e Castela numa guerra que durou quase três décadas, com alguns períodos de intensa actividade militar. Entre 1383 e 1398 sucederam-se dezenas de operações de cerco, algumas com importância decisiva nesse conflito, e a historiografia portuguesa carecia ainda de algum aprofundamento nesta temática.
Assim, esta tese vem procurar dar o seu pequeno contributo para o estudo destes episódios, baseando-se na cronística da época que, felizmente, até deu um considerável destaque aos cercos, e tentará mostrar como é que estas operações se processavam na guerra entre estes dois reinos ibéricos naquele período.
As operações de cerco ocuparam uma grande parte dos acontecimentos militares ao longo de toda a Idade Média: os castelos e as povoações dominavam na prática o território que os circundava, e os exércitos que os comandantes militares conseguiam reunir não favoreciam o encontro entre hostes numa batalha campal, levando a que os defensores se resguardassem por detrás das muralhas e das fortalezas (cada vez mais evoluídas), e os atacantes procurassem a supremacia perante os seus adversários de uma maneira menos arriscada.
Embora os cercos fossem frequentes na altura, isso não significava que estes fossem fáceis. Em primeiro lugar, ambas as forças teriam de estar previamente preparadas para saírem vitoriosas deste confronto. Era necessário, portanto, planear as operações e tomar medidas prévias – garantir a existência de mantimentos, construir ou montar engenhos e estruturas, etc. – que aumentassem as probabilidades de poderem resistir ou conquistar uma posição adversária que iria procurar levar até ao fim os seus desígnios.
Mas a preparação não bastaria. Qualquer pormenor poderia dar a vantagem a sitiados ou a sitiantes. Os intervenientes teriam de se sujeitar a diversas dificuldades que poderiam surgir ao longo da duração do cerco – que seria sempre uma incógnita –, a fome, a sede, as doenças, entre outras, estando as suas vidas sempre em risco.
Para os sitiantes era necessário ainda, em grande parte dos casos, tomar a iniciativa e atacar a fortaleza, não se cingindo somente ao bloqueio do local. Através de assaltos às muralhas com diversos tipos de engenhos de cerco, da escavação de minas ou até da concepção de planos astuciosos, havia assim formas pelas quais os comandantes militares tentavam anular as vantagens que as estruturas defensivas davam aos seus adversários para poderem conquistar o castelo ou a povoação.
Contudo, o trabalho dos sitiantes não terminava aquando da sua vitória, pois estes teriam ainda de se estabelecerem como novos senhores da fortaleza após a sua conquista. Para isso teriam de lidar com os prisioneiros feitos no confronto, nomear um novo comandante que fosse leal à sua facção, entre outras medidas, procurando assim garantir que a sua bandeira permaneceria a esvoaçar sobre o local e que aquele território era agora seu.
The death of Ferdinand I of Portugal, in the last months of 1383, plunged Portugal into a succession crisis and into a war with Castile that lasted for almost three decades, with some periods of intense military activity. Between 1383 and 1398, dozens of siege operations occurred, some of them with decisive importance in this conflict, and the Portuguese historiography was still lacking a further development regarding this theme and period. Therefore, this thesis attempts to give its small contribution to the study of this episodes, based on the primary sources that chronicled these events, which, fortunately, gave considerable emphasis to the sieges that occurred at the time, and tries to demonstrate how siege operations developed in this war between these two Iberian kingdoms at the end of the 14th century. Siege operations were a great part in the military events throughout the Middle Ages: castles and villages dominated, in practice, the territory in which they were located, and the armies mustered by the military commanders did not favour the approach of a field battle, leading the defenders to seek the protection of walls and fortresses (which were increasingly evolving), and the attackers looking for supremacy over their adversaries in a manner that minimized the risks. Although sieges were frequent at the time, that didn’t mean that these were easy. Firstly, both forces would have to be prepared beforehand to gain victory in these confrontations. Therefore, it was necessary to plan these operations and implement preventive measures – ensure supply lines, build or assemble machines and structures, etc. – that would increase the chances of being able to resist or conquer an adversary who would seek to bring to an end their plans. But only the preparation would not suffice. Any detail could give the advantage to the besieged or the besiegers. Those involved were subject to several difficulties that could arise over the duration of the siege – which was impossible to predict –, such as starvation, thirst or diseases, amongst others, with their lives always at risk. For the besiegers, it was still necessary, in the majority of cases, to take the initiative and attack the fortress and not just waiting out their adversary. Through assaults on the walls with several types of siege engines, the digging of mines or even the engenderment of cunning plans, there were ways through which the commanders would attempt to annul the advantages given to their opponents by the defensive structures, so that they could conquer the castle or the town. However, the work of the besiegers wasn’t finished at the time of their victory, as they would still have to settle themselves as the new lords of the fortress after conquering it. For that, they would have to deal with the prisoners made during the conquest, name a new commander who was loyal to their faction, among other measures, looking to ensure that their flag waived above the site and that territory now belonged to them.
The death of Ferdinand I of Portugal, in the last months of 1383, plunged Portugal into a succession crisis and into a war with Castile that lasted for almost three decades, with some periods of intense military activity. Between 1383 and 1398, dozens of siege operations occurred, some of them with decisive importance in this conflict, and the Portuguese historiography was still lacking a further development regarding this theme and period. Therefore, this thesis attempts to give its small contribution to the study of this episodes, based on the primary sources that chronicled these events, which, fortunately, gave considerable emphasis to the sieges that occurred at the time, and tries to demonstrate how siege operations developed in this war between these two Iberian kingdoms at the end of the 14th century. Siege operations were a great part in the military events throughout the Middle Ages: castles and villages dominated, in practice, the territory in which they were located, and the armies mustered by the military commanders did not favour the approach of a field battle, leading the defenders to seek the protection of walls and fortresses (which were increasingly evolving), and the attackers looking for supremacy over their adversaries in a manner that minimized the risks. Although sieges were frequent at the time, that didn’t mean that these were easy. Firstly, both forces would have to be prepared beforehand to gain victory in these confrontations. Therefore, it was necessary to plan these operations and implement preventive measures – ensure supply lines, build or assemble machines and structures, etc. – that would increase the chances of being able to resist or conquer an adversary who would seek to bring to an end their plans. But only the preparation would not suffice. Any detail could give the advantage to the besieged or the besiegers. Those involved were subject to several difficulties that could arise over the duration of the siege – which was impossible to predict –, such as starvation, thirst or diseases, amongst others, with their lives always at risk. For the besiegers, it was still necessary, in the majority of cases, to take the initiative and attack the fortress and not just waiting out their adversary. Through assaults on the walls with several types of siege engines, the digging of mines or even the engenderment of cunning plans, there were ways through which the commanders would attempt to annul the advantages given to their opponents by the defensive structures, so that they could conquer the castle or the town. However, the work of the besiegers wasn’t finished at the time of their victory, as they would still have to settle themselves as the new lords of the fortress after conquering it. For that, they would have to deal with the prisoners made during the conquest, name a new commander who was loyal to their faction, among other measures, looking to ensure that their flag waived above the site and that territory now belonged to them.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Guerra Cercos Crise Sucessória Portugal Castela História Militar Siege Operations Succession Crisis Castile Military History