Spanish rider (barrier)
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A Spanish rider (also Friesian rider , French cheval de frise ) is a barrier known under this name since the Middle Ages but already used in prehistory .
history
Approach obstacles in the form of closely placed stone pillars, similar to palisades , are already known from prehistoric times and in the British Isles ( Dreva Fort , Fell of Barhullion (Scotland), Dun Aengus and Dún Dúchathair (on the Aran Islands ), Ballykinvarga ( County Clare ) and Dunamo ( County Mayo )).
They are even more common on the Iberian Peninsula ; Castro Carvalhelhos ( Portugal ) or Castro of Yecla la Vieja and the Castro de la Mesa de Miranda near Avila in Spain . The pre-Bronze Age complexes were purely obstacles to approach, which in the sense of a Temenos protected cult sites from profane access or from insight.
To fasten their marching camp possessed Roman legions in each Contubernium about pila Muralia called Schanz piles.
The Spanish horsemen are said to have received their name during the Dutch Wars of Independence . With their help, the Spaniards succeeded during their siege of the city of Groningen in keeping the cavalry hurrying up for relief from their positions. In other languages they are called Friesenreiter ( French Chevaux de Frize , Italian Cavallo di Frisia ).
Such safeguards were used in 1961 to block the borders to West Berlin.
The Czech hedgehog, which was developed as an anti-tank barrier in the 20th century, can be seen as a further development of the Spanish horsemen .
present
Modern Spanish riders typically consist of approximately 1.5 m long, X-shaped tied and sharpened poles, which are connected by a 5 to 6 m long longitudinal pole so that one cannot crawl through. Originally they were made of wood and aimed at riders and were used to fortify the camp. They were made by sticking pointed stakes (feathers) through a long tree (body) or by crossing the short spikes or pig feathers of the common people. The body was carried on a wagon, sometimes the whole device was made mobile. In the 19th century they were made more of angle iron and were used to secure passages and fords .
Today they are primarily intended to hold off infantry (and other people) and light vehicles. As mobile elements, they are also suitable for closing passages, e.g. B. at road blocks . In modern times, the protective effect was often reinforced by the additional attachment of barbed wire .
See also
literature
- Glyn Daniel : Encyclopedia of Archeology (ed.). der German edition Joachim Rehork., Augsburg: Weltbild-Verlag 1990. License Lübbe Verlag. P. 89 ISBN 3-930656-37-X (The illustrated encyclopedia of archeology)
- Soviet military encyclopedia : Rakentenkomplex - Spanischer Reiter (= Issue 26), Berlin: Militärverlag der DDR , 1984, 158 pages.
Web links
- Images of the Cheval (not plur. Chevaux) de Frize by Dun Aenghus ( Memento from March 3, 2007 in the Internet Archive )