Chevaux-de-frise

Also called Spanish Riders.*  A Cheval-de-frise was a non-static obstacle consisting of a horizontal beam 9 to 12 feet long and 1 foot in diameter pierced by two diagonal rows of sharpened lances which were about 2 inches in diameter and 10 feet long. Eye bolts or hooks and chains were attached to the ends of the beams to allow several cheval-de-frise to be bound together to form a chevaux-de-frise. Since this type of obstacle was free standing and could be moved about it was considered suitable for blocking roadways and closing the entrances to temporary fortifications. Most sources insist that chevaux-de-frise were also useful against cavalry, though situations in which this type of obstacle could be employed in a practical fashion solely against cavalry attack are not generally described. Chevaux-de-frise were often employed to cover the fronts of works exposed to enemy fire when the danger posed by prolonged exposure to hostile fire, even during the night, was too great to permit working parties to construct more solidly fixed obstacles. Chevaux-de-frise could also be applied to the bottom of ditches to inhibit an attacking body of troops' free circulation through the ditch, though in this situation each cheval-de-frise could be moved about by the attacking troops and used to assist them in scaling the scarp.

A second type of cheval-de-frise described by some sources was constructed using a stout sharpened timber or palisade to which one or more legs were attached to fix it in an upright position inclined toward the direction of an expected attack. This type of obstacle would have, when a number of cheval-de-frise were positioned close together, created the effect of a sort of movable inclined palisading. Unless these cheval-de-frise were tied together by means of a horizontal beam it seems doubtful whether their lateral stability would be sufficient to prevent attacking troops from simply knocking them over onto the ground rather than being compelled to chop their way through the obstacle with axes.

January, 2003

August, 2005

* According to tradition the name Chevaux-de-frise, horses of Friesland, was adopted from their first use during a 17th century siege of Groningen during the Dutch Revolt. [RETURN]