Type of fortification
Krak des Chevaliers
(Syria), the best preserved of the concentric crusader castles
Plan of
Belvoir Castle
(Israel)
A
concentric castle
is a
castle
with two or more concentric
curtain walls
, such that the outer wall is lower than the inner and can be defended from it.
[1]
The layout was square (at
Belvoir
and
Beaumaris
) where the terrain permitted, or an irregular polygon (at
Krak
and
Margat
) where curtain walls of a
spur castle
followed the contours of a hill.
Concentric castles resemble one castle nested inside the other, thus creating an
inner and outer ward
. They are typically built without a central free-standing
keep
. Where the castle includes a particularly strong tower (
donjon
), such as at Krak or Margat, it projects from the inner
enceinte
.
Development
[
edit
]
Star-shaped plan of the citadel of
Lille
(France), designed by Vauban
Plan of
Beaumaris Castle
(Wales)
Surrounding fortresses or towns with a series of
defensive walls
where the outer walls are lower than the inner walls is something that has been found in fortifications going back thousands of years to cultures like the
Assyrians
,
Persians
,
Ancient Egyptians
and
Babylonians
. The ancient city of
Lachish
, a place in
Israel
, was excavated and found to consist of multiple walls that were illustrated in Assyrian art documenting their successful siege of the city. The Byzantines also famously constructed the
Walls of Constantinople
, which featured double layers of walls through most of its perimeter and a
moat
. The city of ancient Babylon also featured multiple layers of
fortifications
, famously seen in the
Ishtar Gate
. However, the relationship of the concentric castle to other forms of fortification is complex. An example of an early concentric castle is the Byzantine castle of
Korykos
in Turkey, built in the early 11th century AD.
[2]
Historians (in particular
Hugh Kennedy
) have argued that the concentric defence arose as a response to advances in
siege
technology in the
crusader states
from the 12th to the 13th century. The outer wall protected the inner one from
siege engines
, while the inner wall and the projecting towers provided flanking fire from
crossbows
. Also, the strong towers may have served as platforms for
trebuchets
for shooting back at the besiegers. The walls typically include
towers
,
arrowslits
, and wall-head defences such as
crenellation
and, in more advanced cases,
machicolations
, all aimed at an active style of defence.
[1]
The
Krak des Chevaliers
in
Syria
is the best-preserved of the concentric crusader castles. By contrast,
Chateau Pelerin
was
not
a concentric castle, as the side facing the sea did not require defensive walls. However, the two walls facing the land are built on the same defensive principles as other crusader castles in the same period, rivalling the defences at Krak.
While a concentric castle has double walls and towers on all sides, the defences need not be uniform in all directions. There can still be a concentration of defences at a vulnerable point. At Krak des Chevaliers, this is the case at the southern side, where the terrain permits an attacker to deploy siege engines. Also, the gate and
posterns
are typically strengthened using a
bent entrance
or flanking towers.
Concentric castles were expensive to build, so that only the powerful military orders, the
Hospitallers
and
Templars
, or powerful kings could afford to build and maintain them. It has also been pointed out that the concentric layout suited the requirements of military orders such as the Hospitallers in resembling a
monastery
and housing a large garrison. Such castles were beyond the means of feudal barons. Thus, concentric castles coexisted with simpler enclosure castles and tower
keeps
even in the
crusader states
.
[3]
Concentric castles appeared in
Europe
in the 13th century, with the castles built in
Wales
by
Edward I
providing some outstanding examples, in particular
Beaumaris Castle
, a "perfect concentric castle",
[4]
albeit unfinished. As Beaumaris was built on flat terrain rather than a
spur
, it was both necessary and possible to build walls and towers facing in all directions, giving a very regular, almost square, floor plan to the castle. Some influence from crusader fortification has been conjectured, but the amount of technology transfer from the East and much earlier Byzantine examples remains controversial among historians.
[1]
Similar structures
[
edit
]
In the German-speaking states of the
Holy Roman Empire
, many castles had double curtain walls with a narrow ward between them, referred to as a
Zwinger
. These were added at vulnerable points like the gate but were rarely as fully developed as in the concentric castles in Wales or the Crusader castles.
The principle of an outer and inner wall was also used in fortified cities, such as the
Theodosian Walls
of
Constantinople
and the city wall of
Carcassonne
.
The concept of mutually reinforcing lines of defence with flanking fire was continued in later periods, such as the early modern fortifications of
Vauban
, where outer defence works were protected and overlooked by others and their capture did not destroy the integrity of the inner
Citadel
.
Citadels from before and during the Reconquista in Spain and Portugal also have fortifications similar to concentric castles found elsewhere in Europe.
Castle of Almodovar del Rio
is a good example of such a fortress along with
Saint George Castle
in
Lisbon
Portugal.
Examples of concentric castles
[
edit
]
-
-
Belvoir Castle
(Israel), 1150
-
-
Kidwelly Castle
, south-west Wales, 13th century
-
Rhuddlan Castle
, north of Wales, 1277
-
Harlech Castle
, west of Wales, 1282?
-
Beaumaris Castle
, on the island of Anglesey at the north-west of Wales, 1295
-
The Byzantine castle of
Korykos
from the sea c.11th cent. AD. It featured fully concentric features a century before the first examples of concentric fortifications were seen in the West
-
Caerphilly Castle
, south of Wales, 13th century
See also
[
edit
]
- Buhen
(ancient Egyptian stronghold)
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
Kennedy, Hugh (2000).
Crusader Castles
. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
0-521-79913-9
.
- ^
Foss, Clive (1986).
Byzantine fortifications an introduction
. Univ. of South Africa.
ISBN
0869813218
.
OCLC
254999395
.
- ^
Nicolle, David (2008).
Crusader Castles in the Holy Land: An Illustrated History of the Crusader Fortifications of the Middle East and Mediterranean
.
ISBN
978-1846033490
.
- ^
Reginald Allen Brown (1989).
Castles from the air
. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
978-0-521-32932-3
.
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