| Class Description: To this day castles loom large over the European landscape; they represent the best of medieval technology. Castles were royal or noble residences, centres of administration and justice, as well as garrisoned fortresses.
William the Conqueror won the battle of Hastings, but without the simple castle known as motte-and-bailey, he would not have conquered England and Wales. Stone quickly replaced wooden towers. Impressive even today, Hever Castle was built in the 12th century where Anne Boleyn lived as a young girl. To vanquish the Welsh, Edward I built magnificent palaces inside enormous stone castles. Windsor, a royal castle for centuries, shows the development of different styles — all in one location.
The Middle Ages weren’t static; castle architecture and armour improved, fashion in clothing and furnishings changed. Between 1100 and 1200 new laws and customs involving inheritance and marriage were imposed by the Church to limit aristocratic violence. Learn what castles looked like, inside and out, and how kings and queens lived the good life in the Middle Ages.
Lessons:
- Castles 1050-1300
- Men: Knights & Kings
- Women: Ladies & Queens
- Furnishings & Clothing
- Land, Inheritance & Marriage
- Hunting, Tournaments & Feasting
The course will include many excellent websites and illustrations.
Optional assignments are multiple-choice self-quizzes, simple research, and story ideas using the lecture notes. Lurkers welcome too!
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| Instructor Bio: Sharron lives on the west coast of Canada. She teaches Irish and Scottish History as non-credit university courses, and has taught online courses for CHRW and HHRW. While living over eight years in Europe, she studied the languages and history of Great Britain and France. She has a diplôme from the University of Nancy, France, a B.A. in French from UBC, and a M.A. (2nd first degree) in Scottish History and Celtic Studies from the University of Glasgow. She is currently working on a novel set during WWII.
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