Seats of Power in Europe during the Hundred Years War: An Architectural Study from 1330 to 1480

Description

The Hundred Years’ War between England and France is a story of an epic conflict between two nations whose destinies became inextricably entwined throughout the later Middle Ages. During that time the balance of architectural power moved from religious to secular domination, the Gothic form continued to grow and the palace-fortress was in the ascendancy. Seats of Power in Europe is a major new study of the residences of the crowned heads and the royal ducal families of the countries involved in the Hundred Years’ War. Though they were the leading protagonists and therefore responsible for the course of the war, do their residences reflect an entirely defensive purpose, a social function, or the personality of their builders? As well as the castles of England and France it also looks at rulers residences in other European countries who supported one of the protagonists. They include Scotland, Castile, Aragon, Navarre, Portugal, the Low Countries, the imperial territories of Bohemia, and the papacy in Avignon and then Rome. The study concentrates on sixty properties extending from the castles at Windsor and Denilworth to those at Saumur and Rambures, and from the palaces at Avignon and Seville to the manor-houses at Germolles and Launay. A number of subsidiary or associated properties are also considered in more broad-based sections. Each region and its residences are prefaced by supporting historical and architectural surveys to help position the properties against the contemporary military, financial, and aesthetic backgrounds. Extensively illustrated in full color with over 120 photographs and over 70 plans this is an attractive and accessible overview of how architecture both shaped and was influenced by events during this tumultuous period in the history of Europe. Essential reading for students of architecture, architectural historians, historians and those interested in Medieval Europe. Table of Contents CONTENTS: 1. INTRODUCTION The Hundred Years’ War : 1330-1480 Seats of Power Gothic Architecture During the Later Middle Ages PART ONE : 1330-1400 2. THE AVIGNAN PAPACY : 1300-1400 The Papal Court Moves from Rome Avignon, The Papal Palace 3. ENGLAND: 1330-1360 Ambition and Success at War English Royal and Semi-royal Palaces Windsor Castle 4. ENGLAND: 1360-1400 Retrenchment and Failure Royal and Semi-royal Palaces Kenilworth Castle Palace-Fortresses in Northern England English Response to the Threat of Invasion 5. THE FRENCH CROWN Crown and Provinces in France During the War Pride and Disgrace: 1337-1360 Repair and Recovery: 1360-1400 Castles during the Later Fourteenth Century The Royal Residences Paris, The Louvre Vincennes Castle Sully-Sur-Loire Castle 6. THE DUCHY OF BRITTANY The War of Breton Succession: 1341-1381 Ducal and Seigneurial Defences and Protection Suscinio Castle Clisson Castle 7. THE DUCHY OF AQUITAINE Economic Prosperity and Political Uncertainty Regional Residences 8. THE COUNTY OF FOIX Gaston, count of Foix Gaston’s Building Programme 9. THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY The Growth of Burgundy The Artistic Patronage of the Duke of Burgundy Dijon, The Ducal Palace Germolles Manor 10. SCOTLAND A Persistant War High and Royal Status Residences Doune Castle 11. THE DUCHY OF FLANDERS A Century of Political and Economic Turbulence The Ducal Residences 12. THE IBERIAN PENINSULA Political Involvement in the War Architectural Development During the Middle Ages The Royal Palaces of Iberia Seville, El Alcázar Monastic Palaces of Castile and Aragon Zaragoza, La Aljaferia Barcelona, Royal Palace Palma, Almudaine Palace and Belver Castle Perpignan Palace Collioure Castle Olite Castle Sintra Palace 13. THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE Political Development and Cultural Consequences Prague Castle Karlstein Castle 14. THE ORDER OF THE TEUTONIC KNIGHTS The Changing Purpose of the Order Malbork Castle PART TWO: 1380-1420 15. THE FRENCH CROWN Charles VI and the Breakdown of Consent Paris, The Royal Residence 16. THE DUCHY OF ANJOU The House of Anjou Angers Castle Saumur Castle Tarascon Castle 17. THE DUCHY OF BERRY John, Duke of Berry Bourges Palace Mehun-sur-Yevre Castle Poitiers, Ducal Palace Poitiers, Clain Castle 18. THE DUCHY OF ORLEANS The House of Orleans Pierrefonds Castle La Ferté Milon Castle 19. THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy Paris, Tour Jean Sans Peur PART THREE: 1415-1480 20. ENGLAND Surprise, Success, and Factional Bitterness: 1415-1453 Rouen Castle The Dying Embers of War: 1453-1475 Royal Residences: 1400-1485 Eltham Palace The Castles of Returning Commanders and Captains of War: 1340-1460 21. THE FRENCH CROWN: 1420-1453 Withdrawal and Reconstruction Chinon Castle Loches Castle Rambures Castle 22. THE FRENCH CROWN AND COURT: 1453-1483 Recovery and Expansion Fifteenth Century Castles The Appeal of the Loire Valley Montsoreau Castle Langeais Castle Fougères-sur-Bièrre Castle Le Plessis Bourré Castle Le Plessis Macé Castle Plessis lès Tours Manor 23. THE DUCHY OF ANJOU King René King René’s Properties Baugé Castle Launay Manor 24. THE DUCHY OF ORLEANS Jean, the bastard of Orleans Chateaudun Castle Anjony Castle Beaugency Manor 25. THE DUCHY OF BURGUNDY Expansion and Collapse Culture at European Courts During the Fifteenth Century The Ducal Residences Bruges, Het Prinsenhof Lille, Rihour Palace Olhain Castle 26. THE DUCHY OF BRITTANY The Maintenance of Ducal Authority Ducal and Seigneurial Defences Nantes Castle 27. THE DUCHY OF AQUITAINE The Collapse of English Government 28. SCOTLAND The Re-assertion of Royal Authority Royal Building Activity Lithlingow Palace 29. CONCLUSION A War of Bankruptcy and Ostentation Architectural Similarities and Differences The Architectural Influence of War Seats of Power Notes: Historical Review Architectural Study