Castles of Medieval Europe

Unit: Europe to 1500

Castles! Castles! Castles! What comes to mind when I say

castles?

Castles: A Quick Overview They were not new in the Middle

Ages- but built by lords consolidating power and having fortresses to protect their land’s people

Some were cold while others were opulent

Used for protection, landmark and pride

Primary military resources of many countries in medieval Europe.

Ended with the advent of artillery during the 1500s.

English Castles

Brought to England by William (Duke of Normandy) in 1066. He used castles (made of wood) to become King of England. Later he used stone.

Built castles on hills as basis for the stronghold. Castles became symbols of protection and power

for peasants. Lords were granted Castles through sworn

allegiance to the King.

English Castle-Dover

Sits on the famous “white cliffs” of Dover

Strategic because it is the closest point in England to continental Europe. First line of defense.

Has concentric stone circles and secret tunnels.

Dover Castle

Scottish Castles

Came to Scotland after the Norman invasion of 1066.

Built on hills near cliffs and along water and trade routes.

Used heavily in the 13th and 14th centuries during the independence wars from England

Mainly towered houses and featured stone walls

Scottish Castle- Bothwell

Built in Strathclyde Thick walls made of red sandstone Has a large round keep that is

separated from the courtyard by a large ditch

Famous from William Wallace laying siege to it in order to take back the castle from the English for 14 months

Bothwell Castle

Irish Castles

Most were made out of stone and date from the Norman Invasion

Mainly occupied by invading lords as strongholds

Irish Castle- Blarney

Said that Munster men were awarded stone to build this castle after aiding Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn.

Contains the Blarney Stone and gives people the “gift of gab.”

Phrase said by Elizabeth I because of Lord Blarney’s penchant for debate

Blarney Castle

Italian Castles

Originated from quarreling aristocrats and feuding families

Entire cities could be walled in, and wealthy families would build towers for themselves

Excellent examples were built by merchant princes in cities like Florence

Architecture based on Norman, Islamic and Asian designs

Italian Castle-Castelvecchio Built in Verona Known for its fortified bridge across

the River Adige. It divided the castle Made out of red brick and lighter

materials to highlights the design

Castelvecchio

French Castles

Started off as simple towers called donjons that were rectangular

Contained all of the rooms for the lords in the stronghold. Only trusted vassals could enter the donjons

William the Conqueror had a major influence on castles throughout Europe.

Went from basic stone strongholds to elegant chateaus.

Allies of the King claimed these fortresses and made palaces of them.

French Castle- Mont-Saint- Michel Built in Normandy City onto itself; stronghold Tides create a natural barrier Duke of Normandy founded

Benedictine abbey there Centuries brought many changes:

Carolingian church then gothic structures seen today

Castel- Mont-Saint-Michel

German Castles

Reflect the diversity of Germany: North- circular citadels surrounded by water in lowlands. South- lack of symmetry with spires on high ground

Diversity based on contact with other cultures surrounding Germany, and where German lords and knights went to fight

Began to flourish during the development of feudal Germany

Some strongholds were very colorful

German Castle- Falkenstein Built in Hettstedt in the Harz

mountains Made to withstand heavy attacks-

and an invading army had to pass six doors in order to reach the main castle

Eike von Repkow wrote the Sachsenspiegel book of law here

Used as a hunting lodge

Falkenstein Castle

Spanish Castles Spain’s location as a peninsula separated from

Europe by the Pyrenees Mt. was a major factor in castle building

Castillo (basis for English word Castle) strongholds were built to battle the Islamic forces invading Spain after 711 C.E.

Symmetrical and colorful in design with rounded towers and masonry based on Islamic design

The flat landscape gave towers excellent vantage points to see invading armies

Distinct from their use of torre del hominaje- a keep with machicolations at and in-between corners

Spanish Castles- Castel de Monte Built in Apulia Octagonal layout on the interior and

outside of the main Castle Classic example of Islamic and

Western European styles coming together

Castel de Monte

Eastern European Castles History known for battles against different

ethnicities and a great diversity in culture, politics and geography

Castles brought by Germans building stone fortifications

In Balkans where Ottoman Empire would rule, castle fell into ruin as Christian nobility fled

Known for fortified monasteries-to protect the villagers from raids where they would seek refuge in churches

Slavs also built castles-Western in style

Eastern European Castle- Ciechanow Built in Poland by Duke of Masovia as

a stronghold in the 1400s. Boasts great towers and

symmetrically laid out on boulders for better defenses

Residential wings were not added until 100 years later

Ciechanow Castle

Eastern European Castle- Harman Built in Transylvania, Romania in the

1200s. Is a fortified church that is encircled

by a wall and protected by a water filled moat.

Many people laid siege to the fortress, but none succeeded.

Harman Castle

Side Note- Japanese Castles Sprang up from feuding Warlords Very similar to European Castles-

Used for protection and contained large walls, moats, slit windows and used terrain for defense.

Assignment

Create Your Own Castle!!! Sign up for a country and then “build” a

castle based on that country. More details will be given to you