Great Castles of Europe
Overview
Journey through Europe’s most iconic medieval fortresses in this 24-lecture course, exploring how castles shaped politics, culture, and daily life across centuries.
Course No. 30570
Professor Victoria McAlister reveals the military, economic, and social roles of these architectural marvels—from Crusader strongholds to Renaissance palaces.
Course Content
Castle Functions & Evolution
- Defensive Fortresses (35 min)
- Château Gaillard’s revolutionary design
- Luxurious Residences (32 min)
- Daily life in castle halls and chambers
- Economic Power Centers (31 min)
- Toll collection at Hamlet’s Kronborg
Regional Masterpieces
- Spanish Alcázars (33 min)
- Islamic-Christian fusion at Seville’s palace
- Crusader Strongholds (31 min)
- Crac des Chevaliers’ military genius
- Baltic Monastic Castles (32 min)
- Teutonic Knights’ Malbork fortress
Castles & Society
- Women Castle Lords (31 min)
- Lady Roesia de Verdun’s Castle Roche
- Urban Fortifications (33 min)
- Carcassonne’s walled city controversy
- Renaissance Transformation (33 min)
- Chenonceau’s elegant château
Myth & Legacy
- Dracula’s Fake Castles (32 min)
- Transylvania’s Bran and Corvin
- African Slave Forts (32 min)
- Ghana’s Elmina Castle debate
- Romantic Revival (37 min)
- Neuschwanstein’s fairy-tale fantasy

