The Medieval Castle: Life in a Fortress in Peace and War. - Hardcover

Warner, Philip.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0800851862 ISBN 13: 9780800851866

Publisher: Arthur Barker ., 1971

Synopsis

The influence of the castle, both in the course of history and on the lives of those who frequented them, had never before been fully assessed. This book is therefore not only fascinating to the general reader but also indispensable to anyone studying the underlying causes of events in the Middle Ages. Before the evolution of the castle, Europe was an easy prey to any bloodthirsty marauder. Once the motte-and-bailey 'instant castle' had been conceived there was a revolution in tactics and strategy; invaders were checked, frontiers were held, and life became more stable. Subsequently castles became part of conquerors' 'grand designs' and to this we owe the great Crusader castles of Syria and the Edwardian castles of North Wales. The historical background of these events is outlined when appropriate to give the reader a comprehensive picture of castles under attack and castles in peace. Life and thought in the Middle Ages was not quite so remote from our own as is commonly thought and the author draws some interesting and sometimes disturbing parallels between modern and medieval thought and action. Above all, this is a book about people in castles; the clothes they wore, the food they ate, the chores they hated, and the thoughts that motivated them. The men seem tougher and the women more wicked than nowadays, but it is a world and a life we understand. The castle was a military society with all the virtues and faults which are present in similar organisations today. This highly readable and informative book not only tells us about medieval life but indicates that medieval life can tell us about ourselves today.

About this title

About the Author:

Philip Warner (1914-2000) enlisted in the Royal Corps of Signals after graduating from St Catharine's, Cambridge in 1939. He fought in Malaya and spent 1,100 days 'as a guest of the Emperor' in Changi and on the Railway of Death, an experience he never discussed. He was a legendary figure to generations of cadets during his thirty years as a Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Yet he will arguably be best remembered for his contribution of more than 2,000 obituaries of prominent army figures to The Daily Telegraph. In addition he wrote fifty-four books on all aspects of military history, ranging from castles and battlefields in Britain, to biographies of prominent military figures (such as Kitchener: The Man Behind the Legend; Field Marshall Earl Haig; Horrocks: The General who Led from the Front and Auchinleck: The Lonely Soldier) to major histories of the S.A.S., the Special Boat Services and the Royal Corps of Signals."

About this edition

• Publisher: Arthur Barker .
• Publication date: 1971
• ISBN 10: 0800851862
• ISBN 13: 9780800851866
• Binding: Hardcover