Castles: Military technology and social change from the middle ages to the modern

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• What meanings castles may have carried to the people who lived in them, or next to them
• How sources from different disciplines can combine to allow greater understanding of castles
• The changing nature of the castle in society, and the multiple roles (social, political, economic, military) it played

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to determine the importance or otherwise of key developments in castle historiography
• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to analyse conflicting views
• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to combine historical, archaeological and literary sources

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to compare the ways in which castles functioned within different areas of the medieval world (e.g. European, Crusader, Islamic, etc)
• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to see how sources from different disciplines can combine to allow greater understanding of castles
• Having successfully completed this module you will be able to understand the changing nature of the castle in medieval society, and the multiple roles (social, political, economic, military) it played

The castle was one of the most characteristic creations and symbols of the middle ages. Castles were lordly residences, and also advanced military technology which supported a range of functions; they were centres of government and lordship; they dominated populations and secured conquests; and they were garrisons, among other functions. Within this module, you will examine how the functions and uses of castle developed in relation to changing military technology and society and culture. Finally, you will look at the end of the castle as a serious military asset, and how some of its functions and values survived even that.

Teaching and learning methods

The current intention is to deliver teaching for this module online. If circumstances allow, some form of blended delivery methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, or individual tutorials may be introduced if it is safe for all concerned to do so. However, delivery will remain entirely online if face to face teaching is not possible or advisable.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.