A report on Concentric castle

Krak des Chevaliers (Syria), the best preserved of the concentric crusader castles
Plan of Belvoir Castle (Israel)
Star-shaped plan of the citadel of Lille (France), designed by Vauban
Plan of Beaumaris Castle (Wales)
Castle of Margat (Syria), 1062–
Belvoir Castle (Israel), 1150
Münzenberg Castle (Hesse), 1162
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

Castle with two or more concentric curtain walls, such that the outer wall is lower than the inner and can be defended from it.

- Concentric castle
Krak des Chevaliers (Syria), the best preserved of the concentric crusader castles

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Dating back to the early 12th century, the Alcázar of Segovia is one of the most distinctive castles in Europe.

Castle

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Type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders.

Type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders.

Dating back to the early 12th century, the Alcázar of Segovia is one of the most distinctive castles in Europe.
Built in 1385, Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, England, is surrounded by a water-filled moat.
The Norman White Tower, the keep of the Tower of London, exemplifies all uses of a castle including city defence, a residence, and a place of refuge in times of crisis.
Windsor Castle in England was founded as a fortification during the Norman Conquest and today is one of the principal official residences of Queen Elizabeth II.
Baba Vida medieval castle build on the banks of the Danube in Vidin, Bulgaria
São Jorge Castle in Lisbon, Portugal, with a bridge over a moat
The wooden palisades on top of mottes were often later replaced with stone, as in this example at Château de Gisors in France.
A courtyard of the 14th-century Raseborg Castle in Finland
The 14th-century keep of Château de Vincennes near Paris towers above the castle's curtain wall. The wall exhibits features common to castle architecture: a gatehouse, corner towers, and machicolations.
Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey, North Wales, with curtain walls between the lower outer towers, and higher inner curtain walls between the higher inner towers.
A 13th-century gatehouse in the château de Châteaubriant, France. It connects the upper ward to the lower one.
Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland is surrounded by a moat.
Daorson, Bosnia, built around a prehistoric central fortified settlement or acropolis (existed there cca. 17/16th c. to the end of the Bronze Age, cca. 9/8th c. BCE), surrounded by cyclopean walls (similar to Mycenae) dated to the 4th c. BCE.
Borġ in-Nadur fort in Malta, built during the Tarxien phase and used until the Bronze Age.
The Bayeux Tapestry contains one of the earliest representations of a castle. It depicts attackers of the Château de Dinan in France using fire, a major threat to wooden castles.
Built in 1138, Castle Rising in Norfolk, England is an example of an elaborate donjon.
Albarrana tower in Paderne Castle, Portugal
The gatehouse to the inner ward of Beeston Castle in Cheshire, England, was built in the 1220s, and has an entrance between two D-shaped towers.
Krak des Chevaliers in Syria is a concentric castle built with both rectangular and rounded towers. It is one of the best-preserved Crusader castles.
The design of Edward I's Harlech Castle (built in the 1280s) in North Wales was influenced by his experience of the Crusades.
The northern walls of the Gran Castello in Gozo, Malta, were built in the 15th century.
Corvin Castle in Transylvania (built between 1446 and 1480) was one of the biggest in Eastern Europe at that time.
Castle De Haar, Utrecht, Netherlands.
The angled bastion, as used in Copertino Castle in Italy, was developed around 1500. First used in Italy, it allowed the evolution of artillery forts that eventually took over the military role of castles.
Neuschwanstein is a 19th-century historicist (neoromanesque) castle built by Ludwig II of Bavaria, inspired by the romanticism of the time.
Castello Dei Baroni, a country residence in Wardija, Malta, designed with castle-like features.
A 19th-century depiction by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc of the construction of the large tower at Coucy Castle in France, with scaffolding and masons at work. The putlog holes mark the position of the scaffolding in earlier stages of construction. The tower was blown up in 1917.
Experimental archeology castle building at Guédelon Castle site in France (2015).
God Speed! by Edmund Blair Leighton, 1900: a late Victorian view of a lady giving a favour to a knight about to do battle.
Highland castles such as Château de Montségur in southern France have become the popular idea of where castles should be found because they are photogenic, where in reality castles were built in a variety of places due to a range of considerations.
Srebrenik Fortress in Srebrenik, Bosnia: inaccessibility of location with only a narrow bridge traversing deep canyon provides excellent protection.
Almourol Castle in Portugal, which stands on a small islet in the Tejo River.
Tavastia Castle in Hämeenlinna, Finland, one of the northernmost castles in Europe. The exact date of construction of the castle is unclear, as far as it is known to have been built in the late 13th century, but the first mention of it in contemporary documents is from 1308. It was built close to Lake Vanajavesi.
An early 13th-century drawing by Matthew Paris showing contemporary warfare, including the use of castles (here Lincoln Castle), crossbowmen and mounted knights.
A reconstructed trebuchet at Château des Baux in Bouches-du-Rhône in the south of France.

These changes in defence have been attributed to a mixture of castle technology from the Crusades, such as concentric fortification, and inspiration from earlier defences, such as Roman forts.

Krak des Chevaliers from the southwest

Krak des Chevaliers

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Medieval castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world.

Medieval castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world.

Krak des Chevaliers from the southwest
Krak des Chevaliers overlooking the surrounding area.
Position of the Krak des Chevaliers within the County of Tripoli.
Artist's rendering of Krak des Chevaliers as seen from the northeast. From Guillaume Rey, Étude sur les monuments de l'architecture militaire des croisés en Syrie et dans l'île de Chypre (1871).
Cutaway section of the Krak from south to north
The area between the inner and outer walls is narrow and was not used for accommodation.
The east end of the castle's barrel-vaulted chapel
The south face of the inner ward with its steep glacis
Smoke coming from the castle in August 2013, during the Syrian Civil War
Plan of Krak des Chevaliers from Guillaume Rey Étude sur les monuments de l'architecture militaire des croisés en Syrie et dans l'île de Chypre (1871). North is on the right.
The inner court seen from the south
Hall of the knights, 2009
The west end of the chapel
Sit tibi copia, sit sapientia, formaque detur; Inquinat omnia sola superbia, si comitetur. Translation: You may have bounty, you may have wisdom, you may be granted beauty; pride alone defiles all [these things] if it accompanies [them].
Remains of medieval frescoes in the castle's chapel

After a second phase of building was undertaken in the 13th century, Krak des Chevaliers became a concentric castle.

Kriebstein Castle, Saxony, Germany

Spur castle

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Type of medieval fortification that is sited on a spur of a hill or mountain for defensive purposes.

Type of medieval fortification that is sited on a spur of a hill or mountain for defensive purposes.

Kriebstein Castle, Saxony, Germany
Wildenstein Castle in south-west Germany
The Krak des Chevaliers from the southwest
Rudelsburg in the Saale valley, Germany

The crusader castle Krak des Chevaliers in Syria lies on a spur accessible from the south. At the same time, it has strong concentric castle defences on all sides.

Aerial photograph of Margat, taken in the 1930s

Margat

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Castle near Baniyas, Syria, which was a Crusader fortress and one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitaller.

Castle near Baniyas, Syria, which was a Crusader fortress and one of the major strongholds of the Knights Hospitaller.

Aerial photograph of Margat, taken in the 1930s

Like the Krak des Chevaliers, Margat is a large spur castle with many typical elements of a concentric castle.

Outer (lower) bailey of Krak des Chevaliers as seen from the inner (upper) bailey

Bailey (castle)

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Courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall.

Courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall.

Outer (lower) bailey of Krak des Chevaliers as seen from the inner (upper) bailey
Château Gaillard had an elaborate sequence of outer and inner baileys
Château de Dourdan, with the keep just outside the inner bailey
The inner and outer baileys of Puilaurens Castle (in yellow)
Layout of Shuri Castle; multiple baileys were built around the main hall

They can also be nested one inside the other, as in a concentric castle, giving an outer bailey and inner bailey.

Depiction of the siege of Lisbon, 1147

Siege

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Military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault.

Military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault.

Depiction of the siege of Lisbon, 1147
Picture of the siege of Rancagua during the Chilean War of Independence
Assyrians using siege ladders in a relief of attack on an enemy town during the reign of Tiglath-Pileser III 720–738 BCE from his palace at Kalhu (Nimrud)
The Egyptian siege of Dapur in the 13th century BC, from Ramesseum, Thebes
Depiction of various siege machines in the mid-16th century
Medieval trebuchets could sling about two projectiles per hour at enemy positions.
Cahir Castle in Ireland was besieged and captured three times: in 1599 by the Earl of Essex, in 1647 by Lord Inchiquin, and in 1650 by Oliver Cromwell.
Roman siege machines
Chinese and Korean troops assault the Japanese forces of Hideyoshi in the siege of Ulsan Castle during the Imjin War (1592–1598).
Late 16th-century illustration of cannon with gabions
The siege of Candia, regarded as one of the longest sieges in history (1648–1669)
Vauban's star-shaped fortified city of Neuf-Brisach
The Battle of Vienna took place in 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months.
Storming of Redoubt#10 during the siege of Yorktown
British infantry attempt to scale the walls of Badajoz, Peninsular War, 1812
French Engineer Corps during the siege of Antwerp, 1832
This sepoy PoW shows the conditions of the garrison at Kut at the end of the siege in World War I.
The Skoda 305 mm Model 1911
Siege of Przemyśl
Map showing Axis encirclement during the siege of Leningrad (1942–1943)
French troops seeking cover in trenches, Dien Bien Phu, 1954
Sarajevo residents collecting firewood, winter of 1992–1993
Map of destroyed infrastructure following the Siege of Marawi, 2017
The conflagration of the Mount Carmel Center on the final day of the Waco siege

In particular, medieval fortifications became progressively stronger—for example, the advent of the concentric castle from the period of the Crusades—and more dangerous to attackers—witness the increasing use of machicolations and murder-holes, as well the preparation of hot or incendiary substances.

A reconstruction of York Castle in the 14th century, showing the castle's stone keep (top) overlooking the castle bailey (below)

Keep

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Type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility.

Type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility.

A reconstruction of York Castle in the 14th century, showing the castle's stone keep (top) overlooking the castle bailey (below)
A 19th-century reconstruction of the keep at Château d'Étampes
Reconstructed wooden keep at Saint-Sylvain-d'Anjou
1899 Ordnance Survey map of the fortified Royal Naval Dockyard (to become the North Yard on completion of the South Yard shown then under construction) in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, with its Keep at the northern (right) end

One such design was the concentric approach, involving exterior walls guarded with towers, and perhaps supported by further, concentric layered defenses: thus castles such as Framlingham never had a central keep.

The castle seen from the air

Beaumaris Castle

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Built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer north Wales after 1282.

Built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer north Wales after 1282.

The castle seen from the air
The moated north-west walls of the outer ward
The entrance way through the southern gatehouse
A map by John Speed showing the castle and the adjacent walled town in 1610
Plan of the castle

Both castles are concentric in plan, with walls within walls, although Beaumaris is the more regular in design.

Portrait in Westminster Abbey, thought to be of Edward I

Edward I of England

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King of England from 1272 to 1307.

King of England from 1272 to 1307.

Portrait in Westminster Abbey, thought to be of Edward I
Early fourteenth-century manuscript initial showing Edward and his wife Eleanor of Castile. The artist has perhaps tried to depict Edward's blepharoptosis (drooping eyelid), a trait he inherited from his father.
Medieval manuscript showing Simon de Montfort's mutilated body at the field of Evesham
Operations during the Crusade of Edward I
The assassination attempt against Edward I in June 1272
Edward I (right) giving homage to Philip IV of France (left). As Duke of Aquitaine, Edward was a vassal of the French king.
King Edward's Chair, in Westminster Abbey. Originally, the Stone of Destiny was kept in the gap beneath the seat; it is now held in Edinburgh Castle.
Round table, made by Edward, now hung in Winchester Castle. It bears the names of various knights of King Arthur's court.
Groat of Edward I (4 pence). Two coins showing obverse and reverse of same denomination. On left is the obverse, showing a head with a coronet. Surrounding text says, in abbreviated Latin, "Edward, by the grace of God King of England". The reverse shows a cross and the text "Duke of Aquitaine and Lord of Ireland", and "Made in London".
Long cross penny with portrait of Edward
16th-century illustration of Edward I presiding over Parliament. The scene shows Alexander III of Scotland and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Wales on either side of Edward; an episode that never actually occurred.
Remains of Edward I, from an illustration made when his tomb was opened in 1774
The 19th century memorial to Edward I at Burgh Marsh. This structure replaced an earlier one and is said to mark the exact spot where he died.
Bishop William Stubbs, in his Constitutional History (1873–78), emphasised Edward I's contribution to the English constitution.
Examples of Edward's building programme, including the exterior...
...and interior of Caernarfon Castle, incorporating Roman and Arthurian design;
the use of concentric design at Beaumaris ...
...and Harlech Castle;
and the extensive defences of the newly planned towns, such as Conwy.
Wales after the Treaty of Montgomery of 1267 Gwynedd, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's principality Territories conquered by Llywelyn Territories of Llywelyn's vassals Lordships of the Marcher barons Lordships of the King of England

Also a product of the Crusades was the introduction of the concentric castle, and four of the eight castles Edward founded in Wales followed this design.

The remains of Belvoir Castle. Note the two circuits of defensive wall, one inside the other (Concentric castle)

Belvoir Castle (Israel)

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Crusader castle in northern Israel, on a hill on the eastern edge of the Issachar Plateau, on the edge of Lower Galilee 20 km south of the Sea of Galilee.

Crusader castle in northern Israel, on a hill on the eastern edge of the Issachar Plateau, on the edge of Lower Galilee 20 km south of the Sea of Galilee.

The remains of Belvoir Castle. Note the two circuits of defensive wall, one inside the other (Concentric castle)
The remains of Belvoir Castle. Note the two circuits of defensive wall, one inside the other (Concentric castle)
Belvoir from southwest
Plan of Belvoir Castle

Belvoir is an early example of the concentric castle plan, which was widely used in later crusader castles.