Wales, a small country, is littered with the relics of war - Iron Age forts, Roman ruins, medieval castles and the coastal forts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The biggest construction of fortifications in Wales took place during the reign of Edward I. They were not only built to deter an invader, but to control the frequent Welsh uprisings. The next wave of constructions occurred during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when a number of forts and gun emplacements were built, mostly in South Wales, to deter a seaborne invasion. The twentieth century introduced a new mode of defence, especially during the two world wars, in the form of pillboxes, tank traps and gun emplacements. The various airfields constructed were the most visible form of defence and could be regarded as the castles of the period. This book looks at how Welsh castles protected Wales to make it what it is today.

Carmarthen Castle was one of the largest castles in medieval Wales. It was also one of the most important, in its role as a centre of government and as a Crown possession in a region dominated by Welsh lands and Marcher lordships. Largely demolished during the seventeenth century, it was subsequently redeveloped, first as a prison and later as the local authority headquarters. Yet the surviving remains, and their situation, are still impressive. The situation changed with a major programme of archaeological and research work, from 1993 to 2006, which is described in this book. The history of the castle, its impact on the region and on Wales as a whole are also examined: we see the officials and other occupants of the castle, their activities and how they interacted with their environment. Excavations at the castle, and the artefacts recovered, are described along with its remaining archaeological potential. This book puts Carmarthen Castle back at the heart of the history of medieval Wales, and in its proper place in castle studies and architectural history, the whole study combining to make a major contribution to the history of one of Wales's great towns.

Schloss Friedrichstein, im fruhen 18. Jahrhundert als Familiensitz der Grafen Doenhoff erbaut, war eines der prachtigsten unter den Schloessern Ostpreussens. Die zweite Auflage von Friedrichstein bietet neben neu aufgetauchten Quellen (wie etwa dem Fluchtbericht des letzten Schlossbewohners Graf Dietrich Doenhoff) und einer UEberarbeitung aller Texte unter Berucksichtigung aktuellster Forschungsergebnisse, drei neue Beitrage sowie eine digitale "Auferstehung" des Schlosses im Rahmen des deutsch-polnisch-russischen Forschungsprojekts "Virtuelle Rekonstruktionen in transnationalen Forschungsumgebungen" des Marburger Herder-Instituts. Zahlreiche neue Abbildungen, darunter digitale Rekonstruktionen der Schlossanlage in ihrer heutigen Umgebung, eroeffnen einen Blick auf eine beinahe verloren gegangene Architektur und Inneneinrichtung.

Archaeological investigations of the early eighteenth century fortifications in Casale Monferrato, northern Italy.

In 1277 Edward I gathered a huge army and marched into Wales to subdue the rebel Welsh princes who continued to raid and pillage English controlled areas of Wales, and even England itself. A key part of his strategy of subjugating and colonizing the Welsh was to erect a castle at every point where his army rested, to provide permanent bases for English garrisons and a visual reminder of English power.
This title takes a detailed look at the design, development and principles of defense of the Edwardian Welsh castles, documenting daily life within their walls and the historical events that took place around them. Looking at key sites such as Cardigan, Aberystwyth and Conwy it highlights the varied castle designs ranging from fortifications based on French models to the defenses inspired by Constantinople, illustrated with eight pages of full colour illustrations and cutaway artwork. Chris Gravett provides a clear explanation of why the castles were there, who lived in them and how they were built - crucial reading for anyone interested in some of the most romantic and militarily effective buildings ever created.

Castles are among the most mysterious buildings on earth. Their grimly silent stones are signposts to a past filled with high adventure, grim tragedies, and glorious victories. Ghosts, hauntings, and other paranormal phenomena are frequently reported from castles. Do strange paranormal powers lurk among their ancient ruins?

The World's Most Mysterious Castles takes you on a journey through hidden chambers and subterranean tunnels of castles all over the world. Their walls served the sinister needs of spies, traitors, and assassins. Do the spirits of attackers and defenders who died in long-forgotten sieges still linger where they fell? Screams of unbearable pain and despair were muffled within their deepest, darkest torture dungeons. Do they echo there still?

Following the creation of the Duchy of Normandy, the Normans were soon introduced to the castle and they built them in large numbers. In the mid-11th century, other Norman adventurers began carving out dominions for themselves in Southern Italy: some crossed to Sicily in 1061 and by 1091 had conquered the whole island. As in Normandy, they were keen to assimilate new ideas, including architectural styles, resulting in some striking buildings. This title, a companion to Fortress 13: Norman Stone Castles (1) The British Isles 1066-1216, provides a detailed guide to the castles built in Normandy, Southern Italy and Sicily, covering defensive principles, daily life, the events of siege warfare, and the fate of the castles.

The defence of the 9th-century kingdom of Wessex under King Alfred the Great against the 'Great Viking Army' is one of the major military achievements of early medieval history. While the guerrilla warfare in the Somerset marshes and the battle of Edington are characteristic of Alfred's military abilities, his definitive physical achievement was a series of some 30 well-structured fortifications across the kingdom. They continued to form a basis of West Saxon rule during the period of the emergence of an English kingdom in the 10th century under Alfred's son, King Edward 'the Elder'. This title traces the development, construction and impact of these fortifications from the 9th to the 11th centuries AD.

Hero of the 100 Years War, Martin Kemp, is back... and this time he's playing with fireThe Count of Targeres has seized control of Cazoulat. Determined to stamp his authority on the district, he is playing divide and rule, convincing the townsfolk that only he can crush the heretics in their midst. Medieval archer Martin Kemp arrives on the Gascon frontier, where bands of brigands are pillaging undefended towns like a plague of locusts. Kemp is determined to win back control of the band of mercenaries he once captained, the Company of the Dragon - but with the company now in the pocket of the Count, he faces an impossible task. Kemp soon finds himself caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with Targeres. When the Bishop of Cahors arrives at Cazoulat to carry out a Holy Inquisition, Kemp and his friends must gamble everything - their fortunes, their lives, perhaps even their souls - on a brutal showdown at the Castel Galinier. The thrilling next instalment of the bestselling series by Jonathan Lunn, perfect for readers of Angus Donald, Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy.

Eltz Castle near Koblenz deeply impressed many visitors. The German art-historian Georg Dehio declared it 'the castle par exellence'. This book describes its history and takes readers through the interior of the castle as well as through the treasure vault. Victor Hugo was simply impressed by the castle: "High, mighty, suprising, sombre", he wrote in his diary after his visit and continued: "I have never seen anything like it." To the English travel writer Katharine Macquoid it was "a fairy-tale in stone." Eltz Castle with its 850-years history and its picturesque setting still is the quintessence of a castle today. This book describes the beginnings and the history of Eltz Castle. It takes the readers through the interior of the castle as well as through the treasure vault, describes in detail the pieces of furniture and artworks and gives a vivid picture of what life in this castle was like in the past centuries. The discovery of Eltz Castle as a tourist site in the 19th century is dealt with, as is the castle's significance in art and literature. Nearly one hundered colour illustrations complement the text.