Motte-and-bailey castle

A moth (French motte " lumps ", " Erdsode " ) is a predominantly erected in timber castle type, whose main feature is an artificial mound, usually with a tower-shaped building. Other German names are motte, or mound- Erdkegelburg.

• 4.1 Historical Description
• 4.2 Germany 4.2.1 dissemination
• 4.2.2 reconstructions

Designation

Exploring the castle type began in the 1830s, the French archaeologist Arcisse de Caumont, who described him as a château à moth. With this moth the characteristic mound is meant. The traditional Latin name for it is mota. The German researcher Otto Piper castle later took the name of " motto" from the French, who called in today's German language, both the mound as well as pars pro toto the castle as a whole. Carl Schuchardt, however, described the hill as a motte castle and the corresponding type as a motte. In Austria the castle type is also called mountain. Regionally there are more different names for the motte, such as Buhl, Borwall or whale.

Structure and forms

The moth is usually made ​​up of two areas: the built on the artificial mound core castle or stronghold and one or more baileys. The distinction between these two areas is initially a purely formal, in terms of function had the location on the mound part does not necessarily constitute the main castle. Both areas are each protected by their own trenches and ramparts or palisades and often consecutively arranged according to the principle of defense section, with the main castle then is the last defense section. Forecastle and main castle can be variously associated with each other. In the one-piece system is the motte castle in the core of the outer bailey, which thus encloses the main castle ring. For multi-piece systems, the areas of nuclear and bailey castle are arranged side by side, or one after the other. A rare special form are the so-called double moths that have two tower hill ( an example is Eriksvold on Lolland in Denmark).

In some cases, moths occur without outer bailey. This can for example be the case if the hill plateau of the main castle is so spacious that all farm buildings, which are normally housed in the outer bailey find there place; An example of this is the Luccaburg in Lower Saxony. In other cases, the associated farmyard of the castle could be farther away, so that he was no structural unit with this. Smaller military bases or sentry could be built in the shape of a moth; this latter is however not complete castles.

The type of moth is most commonly found in lowland castles, but also occurs in hill forts, with the latter, the transition to the castle tower is often blurred.

Main castle

The main castle ( stronghold ) consists of the man-made mound ( motte, sometimes called Castle Hill), ie from the moth in the narrow, strict sense, and the buildings erected thereon.

Mound of earth

In lowland documents a ring ditch was at installation of the main castle excavated and piled the grave excavated in the middle. The resulting moth could be increased with further induce transported soil material, in some cases, found such an increase only in a later phase instead. In research moths are categorized on basis of the reached up the hill from a height of 5 meters is called a high- Motte. A more detailed breakdown distinguishes three categories:

• Large moths over 10 m in height,
• Moths of 5-10 m height ( the majority of the obtained hill falls into this category )
• Small moths under 5 m height.

Typically, a diameter of 20-30 m; Tower hill with a larger diameter usually have a lower height. The construction time could be very short with simple equipment: a small motte was the source information in about 10 days, ready for occupancy. The building materials of wood and earth were everywhere readily available ( for example, by clearing) and could be processed quickly. However, the mound could also be carefully piled with different bulk material in order to get a higher stability. Natural rock blocks or terrain elevations were often put on an opportunistic in the hills. In some cases, prehistoric grave mounds and similar facilities have been converted.

Moths at high altitudes have been worked out of a slope, a hill or a mountain spur, the existing soil was abgesteilt and supplemented by landfill, so that, as with the moths in lowland locations was a compact and tend to be uniform, steep hills form.

In the floor plan is a circular shape for the moth characteristic of about uplifting mound has usually the shape of a truncated cone or is convex. The slopes are relatively steep and protected by sod against erosion. However, there are also square, oval and polygonal shapes hill.

The scale on the mound plateau was surrounded by a palisade, with a parapet and wooden battlements which could also serve as the active defense. For smaller motte castles, the platform is often surrounded only by a simple Weidenflechtzaun, the passive protection offered against intruders or wild animals. The palisades or fences were some castles in later phases replaced by stone ramparts. Also at the foot of the moth could be surrounded by a palisade or a wooden retaining wall propped up the earthwork against the moat.

Access to the hilltop and was often over a wooden bridge or ramp that spanned the moat and on up to the front gate ( or gate house ) in the palisade led. This construction is shown several times on the Bayeux Tapestry. Instead of a ramp and a staircase built into the hillside could lead up to the hill plateau. Drawbridges found only in the late Middle Ages further spread.

The majority of Central European moths the motte are only obtained, they were later on used partially for the investment of chapels and crucifixes.

Tower or the main house

The center of the platform mound is occupied by a main building, often it involves a tower. Was he set up as a residential tower, it contained the residence of the lord of the castle and could, depending on its position, be correspondingly expensive and prestigious. The tower was completed probably the most of an open or covered military platform. In his dual role as a residence and fortified tower, this building is a precursor of the keep or Keeps. There was, in some cases, however, pure vigilance and defense towers on moths, if the residential building of the castle lord was erected elsewhere ( eg in the bailey ). An example of this is the Grimbosque castle in the Calvados region ( northern France ). Here, the function of the tower of the Central European donjon may correspond.

In the early moths was the tower, like the other buildings of the castle form, usually entirely constructed of wood in block or frame construction ( truss ). In the late Middle Ages, then the Rähmbauweise spread with clay walls. Because of the great age of castles in the wooden structures have not survived the ages. Recently, some reconstructions were created ( Kanzach, Luetjenburg, Ulster History Park, etc.). Later the tower was often made of a stone shaft, on ate on the number of cantilevered upper floors in half-timbered style. A still -preserved example of this popular design is the Toppler in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Not infrequently, the first tower was built and then piled the hill. The tower was so " mothballed ", ie the lower floors put in the hill and then served as basements. This was mainly due to static reasons. In addition to the basements of the tower even more underground spaces could be created in the hills.

In the building on the moth it had to be, not necessarily a tower, but the place could also be taken from a house (see also: Solid house). Got along rectangular ground plans suggest in some cases, the construction of a roofed hall, in other cases, appeals to the low strength of some post remains for a maximum of two-storey building. Next to the tower or the main house found in larger moths and other outbuildings on the hill plateau area, free-standing or leaning to the surrounding palisade or curtain wall. A private well could supply water to the main castle.

Bailey

The bailey or Niedernburg is an essential part of the overall system in most moths. In the English-speaking research the castle type is therefore also referred to collectively as a motte and bailey, bailey with a fenced yard ( in this case, the area below the castle ) called. The bailey is surrounded by its own moat and secured independently by Wall, Palisade, a wall or a combination of these elements. The directed towards the main castle page is usually open, which is the principle of Section Defense: could then be fought by the lying on the tower hill fortification in the outer bailey invading enemies. The area can be created ( lower than the Tower Hill) also on its own embankment. The ramparts of the outer bailey corresponds in some cases the type of hill forts.

The plan shape of the outer bailey is determined by their spatial relationship to the Tower Hill. The dramatic in the area of ​​the outer ward or seated on their Wall motte often leads to crescent - up tongue- shaped areas, but also rectangular and polygonal shapes are often found. In some cases the motte separates the bailey into two areas, for example in the English Royal Castle Windsor Castle.

The bailey usually includes a much larger area than the hills platform of the main castle. It provided space for outbuildings, servants' apartments, barns, cattle and horse stables, which were an integral part of the farming operation of a medieval castle. However, the residential building of the castle lord and his family could be accommodated in the outer bailey. If there was only a defensive tower on the motte, the bailey thus formed the real center of the castle. In some cases the area of the outer bailey is the older part of the castle. Thus, the so-called Husterknupp at Grevenbroich, the castle of the lords of Hochstaden, extended a flat settlement in a later construction phase through a tower hill.

Some moths possessed several, by their own ditches and banks separate baileys.

Functions

While castles also in possession of the king or the nobility had been built in the shape of the moth in France and England, it was in most motte castles in Central Europe to the permanent residence of a member of the lesser nobility and his family. Often found in the immediate vicinity of a large castles of powerful feudal lords small tower hill as former seats of the dependent service nobility. This motte go back to older predecessors or castles were to protect the site of the new castle created. So is about 100 m away from the ancestral castle of the Bavarian Wittelsbach in Oberwittelsbach one of these small castles.

History

The development of the moth is completely deviating to large-scale Germanic defenses in the form of Wallburg with wall - or wood- based ramparts and palisades and also differs from the Roman watchtowers. The first moths emerged between 900 and 1000 AD, most of the plants built in the 11th - 12th Century. In some parts of Europe moths have been built until the early 15th century. They are found from Ireland to eastern Poland. The origins probably lie in the Norman Seine region of Western France. Most moths in Central Europe were a symbol of power for the newly developed, lower service nobility ministeriales.

There are strong indications that many lowland castles were abandoned by the Moth type since the 13th century. This, however, concerned only the castle, the farmyard of the system was maintained in most cases.

The not abandoned in the high middle ages castles were preserved with several expansion phases. Through renovation and expansion in stone, they were extended fortifikatorisch and then met the special requirements for the building of castles, partly to modern times. These transformations were adapted to the changed requirements of the new military technology as fortifications. The former Motte as lowland castle was transformed so that the new type of castle Wasserburg.

Historical Description

The most important pictorial tradition on the High Medieval Motte represents the Bayeux Tapestry showing the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Here are several motte castles are mapped and characterized partially by name. Since the representation is only partially realistic and has a penchant for ornamental, the interpretation of individual details is not sure, but it can recognize some common features. The motte shown to have a dome shape and are surrounded at its base by a small wall or a wall. The wooden buildings on the hill plateaus are different, they all share the breakdown into a surrounding, equipped with battlements Palisade ( which is partially extended by affiliated buildings ) and a tower-like building in the center. Clearly visible is the long ramp or staircase that leads up from the foot of the hill to the fortification. Shown is including the construction of the castle of Hastings by the Normans, here is to see how men with shovels heap up the mound. In particular detail the moth of Dinan is shown in Brittany, which is attacked by the warriors of William the Conqueror, which are, among other things, to put the wooden buildings on fire.

The first written evidence of this castle type provides the description of the castle Merchem between Diksmuide and Ypres in the following way:

"It is the custom of the rich and the noble people .. the highest possible mound raise to move him to his feet with a wide and deep moat and build on its inner edge of a wall-like strong palisade wall and although perhaps with towers. In the middle ... on top of the hill, they built then a house or a tower, whose door you can not get otherwise than on a bridge, starting at the outer edge grave, exceeds the ditch. "

Germany

In the area of today's Germany, most moths were abandoned as seats of the gentry quickly again, in many cases he created larger and more massive castles. Therefore, many of these early earthworks, small-scale fortifications are still in good condition.

Dissemination

In some tracts of land these testimonies before Ritter culture occur in a high surface density. An example is the border between Bavaria and Bavarian Swabia numerous examples of smaller and larger moths. One of these systems can be visited together with the bailey in Kissing near Augsburg ( Postal Kissing ). In place of the tower now stands a hermitage. Alone in the district of Plön (Schleswig -Holstein) 45 Tower Hill was declared a National Monument.

In Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania, the motte come mainly from the period of the German eastward expansion in the formerly Slavic territories. Between 1200 and 1300, the main component of the time motte castles. So far, 463 are officially registered (as of about 2003). One finds this tower hill mostly well preserved in the immediate vicinity of the later manors ( mansions ). They were taken up in the manor park the system as design elements. They usually have a small diameter and a height of 5 to 10 meters, are provided with an outer ditch, an overcast, a main ditch (mostly filled with water ) and the core hills. Palisades on the outer wall are to be accepted, but usually no longer detectable. The castle, residential and defensive tower was built usually out of wood on a field stone foundation. In addition to the field stone foundations can now prove the construction of any more.

In Germany, the exploration of this early form of the noble castle is relatively complete at least in the area of eastern Germany, because they are small -shaped, well-preserved earthworks and are to be regarded only as a brief transitional form. Archaeological excavations usually bring hardly any usable results. In Austria, the " Mountain Research", however, has been a tradition for decades.

Typical tower hill in Schmoldow in Vorpommern - Wall, ditch with water tower hill

Small tower hill in the ditch without Wall - Züssow in Western Pomerania

Postal Kissing: The tower hill with a chapel from the 17th century

Reconstructions

There are a number of projects, which are castles for visitors either restored or completely redesigned at any location, such as the free replica of a motte castle and bailey in East Holstein Luetjenburg. The Bachritterburg Kanzach is a replica of a stately home in Baden- Württemberg. In Historical Park Baernau - Tachov the first reconstruction at a very early time position is to see the year 1000. The reconstruction of a medieval Motte has been converted from the LWL Museum of Archaeology in Herne in Westphalia Neuenrade early 2013. Even in Saint- Sylvain- d'Anjou ( in the department of Maine -et -Loire, France) and Oostkapelle (Netherlands) reconstructions are seen.

Free " after-sensations " are to be distinguished from an object- bound reconstruction. The latter is based on a partially preserved (usually only excavated ) object, supplemented by comparison objects and source material. The free " reconstruction ", however, is solely based on analogies to different models as well as on knowledge of sources. "They thus is not based on an original real existing factual context only an object in its design, spatial, social and temporal context. " "Free reconstruction" encounters, despite tourist successes as well as political and media support, partly to criticism ( " follies " for " living history demonstrations " ), in particular against the background often lack of financial resources for securing, maintaining, or exploration of authentic buildings. Proponents cite - next tourist site advertising - on teaching the " everyday life " of the Middle Ages for a wide audience.

Tower Luetjenburg, modeled after the bell stack of Norderbrarup

Reconstruction of a moth in the LWL Museum of Archaeology

Netherlands

As the North German lowlands are also the flat Netherlands interspersed with numerous moth hills.

Motte hill at Menaldum, Friesland

Castle in Leiden

Reconstruction in Oostkapelle

Switzerland

The Herrain in Schupfart is one of the few moths in Switzerland, and the only known moth in the canton of Aargau.

Great Britain

With the Normans came as a Motte and Bailey to the British Isles. With the Norman conquest of Anglo-Saxon England ( 1066) many moths were built as the first bases. The wooden components of these small forts were already partly made ​​on the mainland and only had to be assembled on site. Through these prefabricated the conquerors possessed shortly after the invasion, a dense network of military bases on the island. Illustrations of this Strongholds can already be found on the manufactured around 1080 Bayeux Tapestry. Some of this conquest castles were later expanded into huge stone castles. So is about the Keep the king's castle Windsor Castle on a large tower hill.

Windsor Castle with Keep on moth in the center and two later developed baileys ( right and left)

Reconstruction of the city of York in the 15th century with the York Castle (right ) and the Baile Hill left

Clifford 's Tower in York

Model of Carisbrooke Castle, England, in the 14th century

Ireland

With the invasion of Ireland in 1177 from numerous moths were built, where they umnutzten older structures such as the Irish Raths. Most originated 1177-1220 to secure valleys. 40 in County Down and 70 in County Antrim are demonstrated. Among Crown Mound fall near Newry, Holywood Belfast Lough and at the moths on the Ards Peninsula, Downpatrick, Dromore, Duneight and Shandon Park Mound in Belfast. In Tipperary the moth of Knockgraffon was built on the old Inauguration place for the kings of Munster.

Motte of Knockgraffon

France

In France there are, especially in the shallower north, numerous examples of moths. In the south, however, offered to natural cone-shaped mountain.

A "natural" Motte: Castelnou, Pyrénées- Orientales

Motte and bailey in Saint Sylvain

Conservation

Like most archaeological sites are exposed moths increasingly vandalism. Special hazards for moths, for example, looters, causing some serious damage. Some motte are digging for material recovery or severely damaged during the placement of timber removal paths.