In the presented study, the authors focus on the development of fortification architecture of the 16th and 17th century and the citadel of Košice as a significant fortress of the Habsburg monarchy defence system. Gradually, they introduce the readers to individual engineering branches in Europe (Old Italian, New Italian, Old Dutch, Old German, New Dutch, French, New Prussian and Austrian), as well as the differences in the construction elements of individual fortification systems. The citadel of Košice, (1671 – early 18th century) belongs to the circuit of modern renaissance or even baroque bastion fortresses. It was built in the southern suburb of Košice and several personalities were involved in its construction, including Colonel Jakub von Holst; captain of the Upper Hungarian Chief Captaincy seated in Košice, Paris de Spankau; the royal builder, Lucas Georg Sicha; and his assistant military building master, Giovanni Alessandro Canevale.
Only very few medieval chroniclers from Central Europe reflected the beginnings of the Ottoman expansion in their works. The arrival of the Turks in Europe and the occupation of the first fortresses on the Thracian peninsula of Gallipoli in the Dardanelles are explained by these authors in a mono causal way - by the internal dispute of hostile candidates for the Byzantine throne and the desire for power of one of them. In his contribution, the author focuses on indicating the deeper connections and causes of the Ottoman arrival in Europe, which can be reconstructed in relatively detail based on the reports of contemporary Byzantine authors.
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