The Castle

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that characterizing the medieval era as a period of barbarism ignores the fact that rebuilding a civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire was a laborious process. The author points out that despite this struggle, new urban centers emerged that would eventually become the seats of learning and progress during the later Enlightenment and the Renaissance. The paper stresses that the castle became the focal point of the major urban development because cathedrals and monasteries could never give the degree of military defense that could be provided by the castle. The author concludes that, towering over sprawling medieval cities, the castle was a visual architectural reminder that order and authority were a significant part of medieval life, both in keeping invaders out and keeping the citizenry in line with the interests of the city's elite.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Development of the Castle in the Medieval Era
The Castle as Symbolic Focal Point
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The castle projected an image of power and security that was not only a deterrent to attack but also a source of pride and security for the people who lived around the castle. The castle provided the impetus for urban growth, and that urban growth (through increased tax revenues) also provided the finances necessary to expand the scale and defenses of the castle itself. A feedback loop of a sort was established between the medieval city and the medieval castle. Urban redevelopment after the fall of the Roman Empire continued along these lines for a thousand years until the beginning of the Renaissance."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Architecture of Security and Power, The." Arts and Humanities through the Eras. Ed. Edward Bleiberg. Vol 3: Medieval Europe 814-1450. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 49-54.
• Creighton, Oliver H. "Castles, Lordship and Settlement in Norman England and Wales." History Today 53.4 (Apr. 2003): 12-19.
• Ingersoll, Richard. "Medieval Cities, Bruges and Florence." Cities in History. Rice University, Houston. 1995. 5 Dec. 2006 <http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~arch343/lecture9.html>.
• Knox, E.L. Skip. "Medieval Society." History of Western Civilization. Boise State University. 5 Dec. 2006 <http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/medsoc/12.shtml>.
• Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architecture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

More papers on The Castle:

• Book Review # 47421 : "The Castle of Otranto"
• Book Review # 94992 : "The Castle of Otranto" and "Two Cultures"
• Analytical Essay # 131168 : "The Castle and Medieval Cities"

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