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Author
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Topic: how did it start?
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Tasha Kent
Member
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posted 05-18-2007 01:36 AM
  
the thing about castles, I mean? when people think about castles, all glorious things come to mind (even dragons). and as far as i get it, castles were... well, houses and not that glorious and not that comfy. |
Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 05-18-2007 04:00 AM
So you want to know when castles first appeard in history? That's a very complicated question, because the definition of a castle is not as clear as it seems...Let me give you this for a start: In early medieval Europe (this means the centuries after 476 AD), the nobility in the european kingdoms mostly lived in unfortified houses at the centre of the lands and people that belonged to them. It is also known that at some places, they installed themselves in abandoned roman fortresses. This started to change between the late 9th century and 1000 AD. One reason were the many wars - during the splitting of the carolingian empire, the raids of the Saracens, Vikings and Hungarians. Another reason was the rising demand of the nobilty to represent its social status. The kings started to fortify their residences, and so did the higher nobility. These new residences were not necessarily built in the old centre of their village, but often on a nearby hill or mountain. The ones that could afford it, tried to imitate the architecture of royal palaces or castles. But many others of that early castles have been very simple structures, made of earth and wood. Nonetheless, others may give you another opinion. |
Tasha Kent
Member
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posted 05-19-2007 03:35 PM
yeah, that's logic. No big mistery. Some guys attack you, you build a wall of stone and of courese you do it an a hill. BUT where did the silly legend start? And when? Cause i don't see how a nobleman livind 700 years ago could think his castle was the most romatic place in the world, filled with merry singing and delicate ladies... come on, most likely it was a dark windy wet place, which had to be cleaned all the time and of course it was nice for the nobleman, because outside it was ewen windier and darker and it was HOME. I just don't get how our perception on castles came to be so fairy-tale-like. |
Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 05-21-2007 09:43 AM
This may have started in the post-medieval perception of the old tales and lyrics from the high middle ages: Like the Arthus-Saga, Parcifal, Tristan&Isolde, the Nibelungen and so on, maybe mixed with some northern and celtic mythology (with its dragons, dwarves, giants, fairies etc.).
It all became very popular during the "romantic period" in the 19th century, when poets and painters started to create a highly romantic middle age, in the way that you described it. The most radical in that movement was king Ludwig II. of Bavaria - his dreams of romantic knighthood resulted in the building of Neu-Schwanstein. There you can clearly see how far away this interpretation was from the real middle age and its real castles... |
guelamary
Member
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posted 06-24-2007 02:40 PM
I do not have a reply on this subject, but am wonering, I have a photo of a castle on my grandmother's side of the family, Is there anyway this castle can be identified ? |
Merlin
Senior Member
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posted 06-25-2007 03:28 AM
Hi. You can post the picture in the photo archive (see link at the bottom of the page) so we could all give it a try. |
all_star_.94
Member
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posted 07-09-2007 09:33 PM
hi,i like the idea you have about this! often times i begin to wonder if all this is made up or it is just a myth... but i have found that during a school project's reaserch that this stuff is true and it is quite fasinating.. i hope i can do more in the future ------------------
AlL sTaR | |
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