This contribution introduces a theme rarely discussed in landscape ecology - wars as a cause of stirring up changes in long-term settlement development. The war impacts on settlement numbers, their internal structure and network were interpreted on the basis of historical data for Vimpersko area (Central Europe, CR) in four historical periods from 12(th) to 20(th) century. Stress theory and its applications (see Michal, 1992; Cudlin et al., 1999) were selected as the general frame for the interpretation. Wars in Czech area were an important stressor impacting settlements number and internal settlement structure in Vimpersko area. Wars, within their culminating manifestation lasting for several years, nearly always slowed down the colonization rate. Within the periods of resources mobilization wars indirectly supported colonization increase. Short-term regeneration after the most detrimental wars lasted for several years. The long-term regeneration, social and economic restructuralization after the most detrimental wars lasted for several decades. Adaptation of settlement internal architecture to protect settlements against the war impacts took several centuries. More frequent application of stone as construction material appeared after the wars of 17(th) - 18(th) centuries; adaptation of this kind took approximately 2-3 centuries. The wars and settlements were also controlled by properties of natural environment; e.g., productivity influenced selection of locations for settlement foundation or settlement decline within post-war restructuralization. Extreme environmental properties manifested themselves as a barrier to war impacts.
