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"While not directly related to coast defense, this book is compelling, both from a human perspective and from the perspectiuve of medieval fortifications and siegcraft. From either aspect, this is an excellent book and well recommended." -Bolling Smith, "Coast Defense Journal"
."..ably illustrated by Peter Dennis and further enhanced by photographs of the sites as they are today. I found his drawings and cut-aways to be especially informative and gives an idea of what it was like to be in these places during times of siege. Overall, another fascinating book from the folks at Osprey. I always learn from these books and find them to be an excellent resource. It is a book you can buy with confidence." -Scott Van Aken, "modelingmadness.com
""This book makes both a useful guide and history of the fortifications in the region of Languedoc... The book serves as a useful resource, especially since most books on the Cathars and their fortifications are only in French." -J.E. Kauffman, "The Coastal Defence Journal"
."..ably illustrated by Peter Dennis and further enhanced by photographs of the sites as they are today. I found his drawings and cut-aways to be especially informative and gives an idea of what it was like to be in these places during times of siege. Overall, another fascinating book from the folks at Osprey. I always learn from these books and find them to be an excellent resource. It is a book you can buy with confidence." -Scott Van Aken, "modelingmadness.com
""This book makes both a useful guide and history of the fortifications in the region of Languedoc... The book serves as a useful resource, especially since most books on the Cathars and their fortifications are only in French." -J.E. Kauffman, "The Coastal Defence Journal"
Product Description
In the early 12th century AD, a large part of what we now think of as France was not under the direct control of the French King who's authority stretched little further than Paris. One region of Southern France, the Languedoc, became the centre of Catharism - heresy in the eyes of the Pope - who ordered a crusade against the region. The crusading army of French knights seized the opportunity to gain land and riches and the crusade was a viciously waged. The inhabitants of the Languedoc had always relied for their safety upon as series of strongly fortified walled cities - Albi, Carcassonne, Beziers, Toulouse - as well as a large number of fortified hill-top villages and castles, 'castra', which dotted the countryside. This book will describe the so-called 'Cathar castles', why they were positioned where they were, how they were built, how well those they withstood the realities of the Albigensian Crusade.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book before an out-of-season visit to Carcassonne and the nearby castles in November 2008. It proved to be by far the best guide to visits to the area, far better than those to be found once there in the castle bookshops, and more informative even than those written in French. The access and opening hours in the book were very accurate and useful, and the reconstructions of various castles superb and well researched. This book greatly enhanced this visit and added enormously to my enjoyment and understanding of the area. A big thankyou to the authors.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In his introduction, Marcus Cowper sets the essential political and religious scene in Languedoc that provided the impetus for the Albigensian Crusade. But the subject of this book is the castles that then featured during the crusade, and so Cowper's writing on the political and religious background is by necessity a little superficial, although very well-written nonetheless. The same can be said of a later section of the book, where Cowper looks at the differences between southern and northern societies and how the southern way of life changed forever, following its defeat in the crusade.
Cowper soon moves onto addressing the design and development of the castles, giving an overview of the history of fortifications in this part of the world from pre-Roman times through to the French royal fortresses of the early modern period. He remarks how the arrival of the French often resulted in the relocation of local populations so as to leave the garrison intentionally isolated.
Cowper follows this with a tour of five main sites (namely Carcassonne, Peyrepetuse, Queribus, Cabaret (Lastours), and Montsegur) and a number of lesser fortifications. Later he looks at the sites of the major actions: the siege and sack of Beziers in 1209; the sieges and captures of Carcassonne and Minerve in 1210; Termes in 1210; Lavaur in 1211; the sieges and changing of hands of Toulouse; and finally the capture of Montsegur in 1243-44. Cowper does not desist in narrating the nastiness of the fighting, telling us of the killing of women and children, the cutting out of prisoners' eyes, and the burnings at the stake of the heretics.
He ends his review of the castles and the times by looking at the aftermath of the crusade, the end of Catharism, and ultimately the end of the need for any fortifications in Languedoc at all following the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish.
The book is profusely illustrated with colour and monochrome photographs, and there are some excellent colour artistic reconstructions. Cowper provides advice on visiting the sites today as well as a list of further reading. In conclusion, this is an attractive but slim volume that provides an excellent introduction to the subject.
Cowper soon moves onto addressing the design and development of the castles, giving an overview of the history of fortifications in this part of the world from pre-Roman times through to the French royal fortresses of the early modern period. He remarks how the arrival of the French often resulted in the relocation of local populations so as to leave the garrison intentionally isolated.
Cowper follows this with a tour of five main sites (namely Carcassonne, Peyrepetuse, Queribus, Cabaret (Lastours), and Montsegur) and a number of lesser fortifications. Later he looks at the sites of the major actions: the siege and sack of Beziers in 1209; the sieges and captures of Carcassonne and Minerve in 1210; Termes in 1210; Lavaur in 1211; the sieges and changing of hands of Toulouse; and finally the capture of Montsegur in 1243-44. Cowper does not desist in narrating the nastiness of the fighting, telling us of the killing of women and children, the cutting out of prisoners' eyes, and the burnings at the stake of the heretics.
He ends his review of the castles and the times by looking at the aftermath of the crusade, the end of Catharism, and ultimately the end of the need for any fortifications in Languedoc at all following the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish.
The book is profusely illustrated with colour and monochrome photographs, and there are some excellent colour artistic reconstructions. Cowper provides advice on visiting the sites today as well as a list of further reading. In conclusion, this is an attractive but slim volume that provides an excellent introduction to the subject.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a brilliant overveiw of the area and the troubles that ensured. Excellent reading for those that are interested in the history of the area...and like me wish to travel the area and see for ones self the harshness of life as it might have been.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Strongly protesting
45 days after ordering and more than one month after despatch I am still waiting to receive the book. Congratulations for your shipment and information service.
Published 14 months ago by davelis
Solid work
This book delivers what it promises. And nothing more. But that's not a negative. The book gives a nice list of fortresses and castles in the area. Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. Stoeving
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