City siege and defense strategies in Medieval Islamic states (11th-13th centuries)

Wars, city sieges or defenses have been at the forefront of events that negatively affected the lives of human communities in the past. However, this situation has changed for the states that want to progress towards a certain goal. In this context, when we look at the history of the Middle Ages, it will be noticed that this age can be described as an age of wars. Because the states that ruled in the Middle Ages were in a constant struggle to dominate an area and to consolidate and expand this sovereignty. As a matter of fact, the focal point of our subject is the city siege and defense strategies caused by these sovereignty struggles. In this study, it will be tried to convey the strategic moves applied before and during the severe city sieges carried out by the Islamic states between the 11th and 13th centuries in the Middle Ages in order to result in a positive outcome of their defenses. For this purpose, some historical examples (cities) that have been exposed to siege or defense will be covered in detail. However, before going into this subject, information about the general characteristics of the medieval Islamic cities and the physical structures in these cities will be given. In addition, a statement will be made about the military equipment materials used as a strategic move during the fierce city sieges and defenses and determining the fate of the siege and defense.