Kulakov V. I.

PRUSSIAN CITIES IN THE HISTORY OF THE AMBER RERION

In the early Middle Ages, in the Amber Region, on the western edge of the Baltic world, the Prussians created four types of fortified settlements — ancient settlements, which had different purposes in accordance with the peculiarities of their fortification. Nevertheless, the variety of types of Prussian early medieval fortifications did not have a positive effect on the course of hostilities in the process of order aggression for the Prussians on the western edge of the Baltic land. Type A fortifications, judging by their location, were the centers of the Prussian volosts (polka) in the pre-Horden period, first of all they were hit by order troops. Thus, the Teutonic Order hoped, destroying the Prussian territorial-administrative system and conquering Sambia. His plans, unfortunately, were realized.

Keywords: southeastern Baltic, fortifications, Teutonic Order

Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia)

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