The military action of taking and destroying a military position (castle, fort, barracks, etc) or populated area (a village, town, city, etc), often after a siege.

Sacking is general term which usually includes the rape of suitable bystanders, the pillage of crops, homes and business and the murder of enemy military personnel. Extreme cases may involve the murder of the male population and the enslavement of the female population or even the murder of the entirely population or population reduction techniques such as the killing of every tenth individual (a Cent). In areas where dynastic continuation is common, the royal or imperial family is often murdered to prevent them being rallying points for rebellion.

Sack"ing, n. [AS. saeccing, from saecc sack, bag.]

Stout, coarse cloth of which sacks, bags, etc., are made.

 

© Webster 1913.

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