| bottom-link"> | | | | similar to the Motte and Bailey structures of the |
| Medieval Castles were structures that changed | | | | previous century and they were often called |
| dramatically over the centuries of the Middle Ages. | | | | "shell-keeps". |
| These changes were brought about by many factors | | | | It was during the twelfth century that the massive |
| like changes in warfare and the influences of different | | | | stone keeps we normally consider to be medieval |
| cultures. Here is a brief history of how the Medieval | | | | castles took shape. As crusaders returned to Europe |
| Castle developed over the five hundred years of the | | | | they brought with them the engineering and design |
| Middle Ages. | | | | knowledge they learned from the Greek and the |
| Medieval Castles were structures that changed | | | | Turkish. Both of these cultures were very proficient |
| dramatically over the centuries of the Middle Ages. | | | | with stonework and this new knowledge of |
| These changes were brought about by many factors | | | | architectural building enabled the building of large and |
| like changes in warfare and the influences of different | | | | elaborate stone fortresses throughout Europe. |
| cultures. Here is a brief history of how the Medieval | | | | Castle building reached a feverish climax during the |
| Castle developed over the five hundred years of the | | | | thirteenth century with over five hundred massive and |
| Middle Ages. | | | | very intricate castles being built throughout Europe. |
| Around the tenth century the first castle-like structures | | | | These castles were the masterpieces that we now |
| were being built as defensive positions. These | | | | think of as medieval castles and they had many |
| defensive structures were called Motte and Bailey and | | | | design and engineering elaborations such as round |
| they were large mounds of dirt that were capped by | | | | towers. Up until this century the towers in castles were |
| wooden stockade fences and buildings. Hundreds of | | | | square but the square shape was vulnerable to |
| these structures were built during the century and they | | | | battering rams and had blind zones. Round towers |
| were very practical because they were made from | | | | were stronger, less vulnerable, and had no blind spots. |
| local and easy to get materials. They didn’t | | | | It was during the fourteenth century that the building of |
| require the massive resources that later stone castles | | | | castles went into decline and then its eventual demise. |
| would require. | | | | Further developments in technology, and in particular |
| During the eleventh century many changes were | | | | the development of gunpowder and artillery brought |
| sweeping through Europe and among these changes | | | | about the demise by making it impractical and futile to |
| was an engineering revolution that enabled | | | | spend ten years or more to build a castle that could |
| architectural building with stone. But this engineering | | | | be totally destroyed by a few days of artillery fire. But |
| growth alone was not enough for the building of large | | | | the castle didn’t disappear. It evolved into less of |
| fortresses because that required a substantial | | | | a security structure and more of a living quarters for |
| commitment of time, resources and money. But there | | | | royalty and wealthy families or what we now think of |
| was also a social change sweeping through Europe. | | | | as a Palace. |
| Lords and Kings were consolidating large kingdoms | | | | The medieval castle was an art and engineering form |
| and gaining the wealth that made the building of large | | | | that evolved dramatically over a period of about five |
| stone castles possible. In order to protect their lands or | | | | hundred years and reflected changes in warfare, |
| to gain a hold in adjoining lands lords and kings built | | | | culture, engineering and society. |
| stone fortresses. These stone fortresses were very | | | | |