Medieval Castles And Cities

During the Middle Ages, castles and other fortified buildings were a common feature of the European landscape. As central powers rose and fell, the insecurity of the times inspired a revival of fortifications first introduced in the Roman Empire. Despite limitations in construction techniques and manpower, medieval fortifications were continuously adapted to meet new political circumstances and weapons technology. Here is an illustrated guide to the architecture of medieval fortifications, from the first castles to the fortified cities of the 15th and 16th centuries. In hundreds of detailed and thoroughly researched pen-and-ink drawings, historian and artist Jean-Denis G. G. Lepage introduces the reader to the development and diversity of European medieval military architecture. Each drawing is accompanied by meticulous descriptions of types of buildings (e.g., motte-and-bailey castles), built-in defenses (arrow slits, pepper-pot towers), and particular castles and cities (the Mont-Saint-Michel, the city of Jerusalem). Elements of medieval warfare and weaponry are also covered in drawings and text.

The great walled castles of the medieval world continue to fascinate the modern world. Today, the remains of medieval forts and walls throughout Europe are popular tourist sites. Unlike many other books on castles, The Medieval Fortress is unique in its comprehensive treatment of these architectural wonders from a military perspective.The Medieval Fortress includes an analysis of the origins and evolution of castles and other walled defenses, a detailed description of their major components, and the reasons for their eventual decline. The authors, acclaimed fortification experts J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann, explain how the military strategies and weapons used in the Middle Ages led to many modifications of these structures. All of the representative types of castles and fortifications are discussed, from the British Isles, Ireland, France, Germany, Moorish Spain, Italy, as far east as Poland and Russia, as well as Muslim and Crusader castles in the Middle East. Over 200 photographs and 300 extraordinarily detailed technical drawings, plans, and sketches by Robert M. Jurga accompany and enrich the main text.

Two fortifications specialists and a technical artist team up to present a unique portrait of military architecture during the Middle Ages. They reveal how the medieval fortress combined both Roman and barbarian features, with some influences as far away as China. 100 photos. 400+ diagrams.

During the Middle Ages, castles and other fortified buildings were a common feature of the European landscape. As central powers rose and fell, the insecurity of the time inspired a revival of fortification techniques first introduced in the Roman Empire. Despite limitations in construction techniques and manpower, medieval fortifications were continuously adapted to meet new political circumstances and weapons technology. Here is an illustrated guide to the architecture of medieval fortifications, from the first castles to the fortified cities of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In hundreds of detailed and thoroughly researched pen-and-ink drawings, artist Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage introduces the reader to a heterogeneous group of buildings whose unique characteristics show the development and diversity of European medieval military architecture. Each drawing is accompanied by detailed text describing types of buildings (e.g., motte-and-bailey castles), built-in defenses (arrow slits, pepper-pot towers), and particular castles and cities (the Mont-Saint-Michel, the city of Jerusalem). Elements of medieval warfare and weaponry are also covered in drawings and text.

This profusely illustrated and thoroughly researched book describes in detail the diverse methods used to attack and defend castles during the Middle Ages. In a groundbreaking study — the first to shed light on the purpose, construction techniques, and effectiveness of medieval fortifications, noted nineteenth-century architect and writer Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc discusses such architectural elements as dungeons, keeps, battlements, and drawbridges. In addition to describing a vast number of European structures — among them fortifications at Carcassonne, Paris, Avignon, Vincennes, Lubeck, Milan, and Nuremberg — he examines the use of artillery and trenches, as well as such weapons as battering rams, mines, and the long-bow. A concise, scholarly reference for architectural historians, this absorbing history will appeal as well to medievalists, military buffs, and anyone interested in the evolution and development of the castle.

Designed to dominate the surrounding area, to house powerful garrisons, offer sumptuous quarters for local nobility, and to discourage and repel enemy attacks, castles dominated England and Wales for more than half a millennium. Though some were built before 1066, the Norman Conquest left a lasting legacy in the form of fortifications ranging from small earthworks now barely discernible, to mighty and dominating stone fortresses. This book examines why castles were so essential to medieval warfare, their importance in domestic politics, and the day-to-day lives of those who lived and worked within them. It also shows how the development of new technologies affected their construction and design, and why they eventually fell into disrepair in the late Middle Ages. Beautifully illustrated with stunning photographs, this is the perfect guide for any castle enthusiast seeking to discover more about medieval fortifications and their inhabitants.

From acclaimed historians Frances and Joseph Gies comes the reissue of their classic book on day-to-day life in medieval cities, which was a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. Evoking every aspect of city life in the Middle Ages, Life in a Medieval City depicts in detail what it was like to live in a prosperous city of Northwest Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The year is 1250 CE and the city is Troyes, capital of the county of Champagne and site of two of the cycle Champagne Fairs—the “Hot Fair” in August and the “Cold Fair” in December. European civilization has emerged from the Dark Ages and is in the midst of a commercial revolution. Merchants and money men from all over Europe gather at Troyes to buy, sell, borrow, and lend, creating a bustling market center typical of the feudal era. As the Gieses take us through the day-to-day life of burghers, we learn the customs and habits of lords and serfs, how financial transactions were conducted, how medieval cities were governed, and what life was really like for a wide range of people. For serious students of the medieval era and anyone wishing to learn more about this fascinating period, Life in a Medieval City remains a timeless work of popular medieval scholarship.