Castles in Colour

Fülszöveg

Castles are as much a feature of the
European landscape as any other form of
man-made structure. From the sheer
might of an Edwardian castle in North
Wales to a lonely tower perched on a
mountain crag in Germany, they were
the fulfilment of both military and social
needs throughout the Middle Ages. As
well as being a fortress, a castle was the
home of an individual, whether he be a
powerful monarch or a humble knight.
Even the bishops were great castle
builders.
Castles in Colour traces not only the military
background to their development in the
British Isles and the rest of Europe, but
tries to place them in their historical
perspective, both socially and culturally.
Starting with their antecedents in the
Ancient World, the book then deals with
the rediscovery of the art of fortification
during the Norman period. The advent
of the Crusading movement with its
great influence on design is discussed, as
are the castles of the twelfth and
thirteenth... Tovább

Fülszöveg

Castles are as much a feature of the
European landscape as any other form of
man-made structure. From the sheer
might of an Edwardian castle in North
Wales to a lonely tower perched on a
mountain crag in Germany, they were
the fulfilment of both military and social
needs throughout the Middle Ages. As
well as being a fortress, a castle was the
home of an individual, whether he be a
powerful monarch or a humble knight.
Even the bishops were great castle
builders.
Castles in Colour traces not only the military
background to their development in the
British Isles and the rest of Europe, but
tries to place them in their historical
perspective, both socially and culturally.
Starting with their antecedents in the
Ancient World, the book then deals with
the rediscovery of the art of fortification
during the Norman period. The advent
of the Crusading movement with its
great influence on design is discussed, as
are the castles of the twelfth and
thirteenth centuries. Hand in hand with
their defensive requirements however,
goes an increasing desire for comfort on
the part of the castles' owners. The
death-knell of the castle was signified by
the advent of artillery, although the
romantic movement of the nineteenth
century brought with it an interest in
recreating castles to express a mood. The
text is supplemented by sections on siege
warfare, domestic matters, and a
glossary of terms.
Anthony Kemp is a military historian
with a special interest in, and knowledge
of, defensive architecture of all periods.
The book will appeal to both general
reader and serious student. Vissza