The "castle story", first part: How did castles appear? What makes them so unique?

Ask anyone to visualize the Middle Ages, and almost inevitably, they will come up with the image of a castle. Castles are some of the most popular historic sites on the planet, and together with the great cathedrals, they are one of the most evocative features of the Medieval Age.

Castles exert a powerful hold on our imagination. They embody the romantic ideal of chivalry, epic battles, loyalty, and personal sacrifice to the crown and country.

There are two questions we will try to clarify in this "story":

• How did castles appear?

• What makes castles so unique?

How did castles originate?

Fortified settlements first appeared over 2,000 years ago, when fortified towns started to appear in the Indus Valley in Egypt and also in China. Settlements were often protected by large earthen walls. Such defensive structures were slower to develop in Europe until hill forts appeared and began to spread across the landscape.

The Romans were most famous for their formidable defensive structures, including coastal forts, flanking round towers, and fortified towns.

In fact, castle design has been significantly influenced by Roman architecture over the millennia, with many castles built on the ruins of Roman fortifications.

So, what makes a castle so unique? We will get to that in a few moments.

First, let’s jump back to a time when castles first appeared across medieval Europe. At the beginning of the 9th century, Charles the Great (also known as Charlemagne) founded a vast empire across Western and Central Europe. This became known as the Carolingian Empire, the first great empire established in Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire sometime during the 5th Century AD.

The Carolingian Empire lasted only about 90 years. Once it fell, the empire's vast land holdings were divided among members of the aristocracy, including local nobles and princes.

These local lords began to assume responsibility for the economy and government in the controlled area. However, they had the challenge of protecting their holdings from attacks by the Moors from the south, the Vikings from the north and west, and most importantly, their neighboring local lords who wanted to expand their territories (and power).

Besides that, the local lords also needed to establish administrative centers to control the land and demonstrate their military power.

And that's where the concept of a castle was born. Although there is considerable debate on the original purpose of castles, it is generally agreed that these nobles started building castles for three primary reasons:

1. Military

   Castles provided protection to local inhabitants against enemy raids in the surrounding area. The castle was the primary residence for the local lord's army and was, therefore, a difficult target for raiders. Moreover, castles were also used effectively as a base to launch offensive raids into enemy territory.

   As time passed, castle design evolved from primitive motte-and-bailey castles to formidable concentric castles, which constituted the high point in medieval military architecture. With that development came better defensive and offensive capability.

2. Administrative

   Castles were not just defensive sites but also enhanced the lord's control over his lands. They formed a center of administration, providing the noble with a place to hold court, centralize administrative activities, and host visiting dignitaries.

   Many castles were also used to control important nearby resources such as travel routes, mills, fertile land, and water sources.

3. Symbols of power

   Although castles were primarily designed to protect and control nearby land, not all elements of castle architecture were military in nature. For these local lords, demonstrating their economic, political, and military power was a crucial element in the design of their castles.

   Consequently, the castle's appearance and size tended to reflect the prestige and power of its owner. As castle design evolved, the aesthetics became more important, and the castle's original military purpose often shifted towards comfort and practicality.

Let's get back to our question. What makes castles unique?

A European innovation, a castle is considered the private fortified residence of a lord or noble. The buildings contained within the castle walls were often multi-functional in design and could serve different purposes depending on need.

Most importantly, while castles always had some military aspects in their design, they also had to contain a practical and efficient household structure within their walls.

These aspects set them apart from other similar structures, such as:

• a fortress, which was not always a residence for a noble or lord
• a fortified settlement, which was a public defense
• a palace or a country house which was not fortified

Nevertheless, many castles lost their fortifications over time, gradually evolving into grand palaces or country houses.

Two key elements to remember:

1. While many castles shared common elements, no two were alike. Each castle's design was dependent on factors including the selected position, the landscape, and the amount of money the noble was willing or able to spend.

2. Most of the castles developed over time. As a result, many primitive motte-and-bailey castles became the foundations for more impressive stone castles built on top of them.

   Alternatively, many stone castles built in the 10th and 11th centuries were later enlarged and renovated to turn them into more comfortable residences.

How did castles come to England?

That should be an interesting question, as we know now that castles are not a British innovation. Despite that, Britain and Ireland have some of the most impressive castles in the world. Therefore, how did castles arrive on British soil?

To answer that question, we must go back to 1066 when William the Conqueror led the Norman invasion of England.

As William advanced through England, he needed to fortify key positions to secure the land he had taken. To do this, he built cheap motte-and-bailey castles made primarily of timber and earth that were relatively easy and fast to construct. These castles were used to guard against rebellion and control the surrounding area.

Each castle was given to a noble sympathetic to William. In return for his loyalty, the lord could keep the castle, which helped secure his power over the local lands.

William and his army then proceeded to capture new territories in England, Wales, and Scotland, and by 1072, William had consolidated his power over the British Isles.

After William died in 1087, the Norman barons who owned these castles began to use them for private war and even to rebel against the crown. From the 12th century on, royal authority was strengthened, and castles could only be constructed if a "License to crenellate" was granted by the King. More than 1500 castles were built in England alone during the next five centuries.

Throughout our "castle story," we will see how castles were built and how castle design evolved over time. Next, let's look at the Motte-and-Bailey Castles, the first-ever type of castle.

See also

• Motte-and-Bailey Castles, the original Castle design

• Evolution in Castle design: Stone Castles