This text dismantles the traditional belief that castles were overwhelmingly military in their function, showing how this was simply one aspect of a more complicated whole. It sets out to recreate the medieval understanding of castles as symbolically fortified places of all kinds.
In this challenging new book Charles Coulson overturns many of the traditional assumptions about the nature and purpose of castle-building in the middle ages. He demolishes the traditional belief that castles were overwhelmingly military in their function
PART I. CASTLES: ANCIENT, VARIOUS, AND SOCIABLE; 1. A Fresh Look at Early Castles; 2. Variety Violated: Some Conceptual Problems; 3. Some Social Relations of 'Castles and Fortresses'; PART II. CASTLES AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST; 4. Noble Military 'Liberties', Ethos, and Ethics; 5. Peacekeeping at Home and Abroad; 6. Private Property but Public Utility; PART III. CASTELLANS, COLONIZATION, AND RURAL COMMUNITY; 7. Castle-Lords, Castle-Lordships, and Noble Civilization; 8. Colonization and Fortresses; 9. Population and Fortresses: Protection and Perquisites; PART IV. CASTLES AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF WIDOWS, GUARDIANS, AND HEIRESSES; 10. Female Castellans: Prevision not Prejudice; 11. Ladies of Fortresses and Castle-Children; Epilogue; Bibliography; Index
In this challenging new book Charles Coulson overturns many of the traditional assumptions about the nature and purpose of castle-building in the middle ages. He demolishes the traditional belief that castles were overwhelmingly military in their function
PART I. CASTLES: ANCIENT, VARIOUS, AND SOCIABLE; 1. A Fresh Look at Early Castles; 2. Variety Violated: Some Conceptual Problems; 3. Some Social Relations of 'Castles and Fortresses'; PART II. CASTLES AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST; 4. Noble Military 'Liberties', Ethos, and Ethics; 5. Peacekeeping at Home and Abroad; 6. Private Property but Public Utility; PART III. CASTELLANS, COLONIZATION, AND RURAL COMMUNITY; 7. Castle-Lords, Castle-Lordships, and Noble Civilization; 8. Colonization and Fortresses; 9. Population and Fortresses: Protection and Perquisites; PART IV. CASTLES AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF WIDOWS, GUARDIANS, AND HEIRESSES; 10. Female Castellans: Prevision not Prejudice; 11. Ladies of Fortresses and Castle-Children; Epilogue; Bibliography; Index