2 ms·

Not an expert, but I think these are forts rather than castles. I would describe a castle as the stronghold of a noble, with a form that evolved from iron age h

Not an expert, but I think these are forts rather than castles. I would describe a castle as the stronghold of a noble, with a form that evolved from iron age hillforts and progressed to the great citadels and their massive towers in the 13th and 14th centuries CE, just before the development of effective artillery rendered them obsolete. Forts on the other hand are rather more an expression of centralized state power and a professional standing military. I didn't look at the dates on all of the depicted forts but I would expect them to be 17th to early 19th century CE.

boomboomsubban 8y ago
From the intro >Historians enjoy debating the scope of the word, but usually accept a castle to be the private fortified residence of a monarch or nobleman. This definition excludes fortresses, which were not homes, and also fortified towns, which were public defences rather than private residences. Taking a little licence we can extend the definition to buildings that might not technically qualify under this definition