Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
A siege and a spy
NEUHÄUSEL (NOVÉ ZÁMKY), KINGDOM OF HUNGARY, 1663
Many towns and cities within central and eastern Europe have been known by several dif-
ferent names over the centuries, as successive wars and treaties have shifted international
boundaries back and forth. Today the town of Nové Zámky lies in Slovakia, but for a long
time it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary and called Érsekújvár. On this map, it is labelled
with yet another name, the German Neuhäusel. All three of these names embody the meaning
of 'new castle', a reference to the town's traditional status as a defensive point in a border
region. The star-shaped fortress near the centre of the map was built in the 1570s, its pointed
walls designed to withstand the type of sustained cannon fire that is depicted here.
