Introduction -- PART I: CASTLES: ANCIENT, VARIOUS, AND SOCIABLE: A fresh look at early castles -- Variety violated: some conceptual problems -- Some social relations of 'castles and fortresses -- PART II: CASTLES AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST: Noble military 'liberties', ethos, and ethics -- Peacekeeping at home and abroad -- Private property but public utility -- PART III: CASTELLANS, COLONIZATION, AND RURAL COMMUNITY: Castle-lords, castle-lordships, and noble civilization -- Colonialization and fortresses -- Populace and fortresses: protection and perquisites -- PART IV: CASTLES AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF WIDOWS, GUARDIANS, AND HEIRESSES: Female castellans: provision, not prejudice -- Ladies of fortresses and castle-children -- Epilogue
Summary
Charles Coulson overturns many of the traditional assumptions about the nature and purpose of castle-building in the Middle Ages. Going back to the original sources, he proposes a new and more subtle understanding of the function and symbolism of castles as well as vivid insights into their inhabitants
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 385-414) and index
