Great Castles of Europe

Take a fascinating tour of Europe’s great medieval castles and discover the ways in which these astonishing buildings shaped the political, economic, and social evolution of Europe.

Overview

Course No. 30570

Professor Victoria L. McAlister of Towson University guides you through 24 lectures exploring Europe’s most significant castles from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. This course reveals:

• How castles functioned as military strongholds, residences, and administrative centers
• The blend of Christian and Islamic influences in Spanish alcázares
• Crusader castles like Syria’s Crac des Chevaliers
• The symbolic power of structures like England’s Bodiam Castle
• Renaissance transformations at France’s Château de Chenonceau

From Norman keeps to Transylvanian myths, these lectures bring castle history to life through architecture, archaeology, and the human stories within their walls.

Video Lectures

Part 1: Castle Fundamentals

1. Castles for Defense and Château Gaillard (35 min)
   Defensive features and Richard Lionheart’s French fortress.
2. Castles for Residence and Enjoyment (32 min)
   Daily life in castle halls, kitchens, and private quarters.
3. Castles for Administration (31 min)
   Economic and judicial roles at Netherlands’ Slot Loevestein.

Part 2: Regional Castle Traditions

4-6. British to Spanish Castles (28-33 min)
Earthworks at Hen Domen, Norman Tower of London, and Alcázar of Seville.

7-10. Crusader to Baltic Castles (31-32 min)
Syria’s Crac des Chevaliers, Latvia’s Cēsis, and Prussia’s Malbork.

11-14. Welsh to Urban Fortifications (30-33 min)
Caernarfon’s propaganda architecture, Bodiam’s symbolism, Carcassonne’s walls.

Part 3: Later Developments

15-21. Renaissance Transformations (32-33 min)
Spanish Alhambra, French châteaus, Transylvanian myths.

22-24. Castle Legacies (32-37 min)
Irish tower houses, African slave forts, Neuschwanstein’s romantic revival.