Therefore, any lord who built one could expect to exponentially boost his prestige and political power, impressing not only the tenants who lived on his land but also his fellow lords and potential rivals. Not only was stone perceived to be a more powerful material, but it was also far more expensive to use, and a stone keep castle required a great deal of time and money to construct. It is likely that symbolism was the other primary reason that stone became the most popular castle building material. Nevertheless, stone towers were incredibly strong military assets, not only because of their defensive capabilities but also because of their imposing psychological effect upon any enemy that sought to besiege them. However, it is important to note that some studies have suggested that wooden castles could be as strong and complex as stone fortifications. Wooden fortifications had certain military disadvantages as they were theoretically vulnerable to fire, potentially required regular rebuilding work due to decay, and were increasingly ineffective when faced with advancing siege technology. It seems likely that there were two primary reasons for the transition from wooden motte-and-bailey castles to stone keep castles. Very slowly, wooden motte-and-bailey castles were increasingly abandoned in favour of stone keep castles, or else they were converted to stone, although it is important to note that this process was uneven and affected different regions at different times. Initially, the very earliest castles, built in the motte-and-bailey design, featured wooden keeps atop earthwork mounds.īy the 11th century the feudal system, based around land ownership and labour obligations, had spread across northern Europe, and castles too had spread as they were an excellent way for a lord to secure control over his land, and make a statement of political power. Stone keep castles began to appear in the 10 th century and became increasingly popular in northern Europe during the 11 th and 12 th centuries. 1.6 Spread and Decline of Stone Keep Castles A Guide to Stone Keep Castles Origins of Stone Keep Castles
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