The Implementation of Rebellion by Nobles and in Its Suppression by Rulers between 1066 and 1224 - Essay Example

?‘Why did castles play such a key role both in the implementation of rebellion by nobles and in its suppression by rulers between 1066 and 1224?’ Castles dominate areas of the British landscape, and many of these date from the Norman conquest of England in the early part of this millennium. They illustrate a key part of British history, particularly those that date from the early part of the Norman era and William the Conqueror’s rule as they are part of an era of political dissent and distrust of the crown. The rebellion of nobles against the crown, as exemplified by the Revolt of the Earls in 1075 and other acts of dissent, played a crucial role in the need for these castles, particularly as many were used to supress such uprisings. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role that castles played in the rebellions and their suppression, and the reason why they played such a crucial role in these events of history. It will also highlight the political importance of castles and their role in times of crisis, particularly with respect to who held control of these dominant buildings. In doing this, it will become clear why the Norman era is so inextricably linked with the huge surge in the number of castles that dominate the British landscape and why so many of these elements of history can be found still standing today. The first true British castles began to be built upon the Norman invasion of 1066 by William the Conqueror1. This is particularly relevant in this exploration, because the invasion of England was not taken lightly by those residing there during the era, and William the Conqueror faced many struggles for power and security, as well as for political strength. The early fortifications which William the Conqueror ordered to be built were vital in allowing the Normans to gain control over the English countryside2. Later, after William the Conqueror had ordered several castles, keeps and mottes to be constructed, these structures allowed Norman troops to retreat and to remain secure during uprisings and rebellions of the era, as well as for use in garrison purposes. This is particularly significant as the years of William’s rule were marked by a series of uprisings and rebellions which marked the landscape and ensured that the building of castles was both necessary and important to Norman rule3. As previously mentioned, the Norman invasion of England was not taken lightly by the aristocracy that already resided in the area, and William the Conqueror’s rule was marred by uprisings and rebellion by nobles, a hint at the struggles for political power to come in the next two centuries. One of the most significant struggles for power is known as the Revolt of the Earls, and occurred in 1075. Ralph de Gael, the Earl of Norfolk, and Roger de Breteuil, the Earl of Hereford, began to conspire to overthrow William as the King of England due to a number of conflicts, one involving the sanctioning of a marriage agreement4. Norwich Castle, one of the most important examples of Norman castle building efforts, was the site of Ralph’s efforts to remain protected during the rebellion, and for many months was successful in evading Norman involvement. However, Ralph returned to his native Brittany, leaving the castle in control of his wife, whereupon it became besieged and used for protection of the Norman troops5. This early event in castle history shows how useful castles were to both uprising nobles and the reigning Norman leaders of the era, as the structures change political ownership as a reflection of power in the region6. Many English castles during the reign of William the Conqueror and subsequent kings were under the control of the reigning leader (royal castles) whilst the remainder were controlled by the aristocracy. This kind of conflicting control was not to stay static during the era, but a series of relocations of ownership through friendly and unfriendly requests was to occur.7 The castles themselves were additionally important because they were not simply standalone property, but were commonly linked to land and resources that could be used in both rebellions and the prevention of such uprisings, which made them key parts of the struggles that defined the early parts of this millennium in England. When civil war broke out in 1139, castles became even more politically charged objects and were used to define political power as well as for use in protection of people, property and stockpiles8. Indeed, many of the battles that occurred during this period of civil unrest were not waged as part of open warfare, but focused more specifically upon the raiding of castles and attempts to control these pieces of property. The Anarchy, as this period of civil war is termed, is an important part of English history as it helps define some of the relationships between different factions of parties attempting to gain control over various parts of land9. The two major interested parties during this conflict were supporters of Empress Matilda, and supporters of the current reigning king, King Stephen10. As part of the preparations for warfare, when the conflict seemed imminent, King Stephen began to fortify many of the older wooden structures with stone, creating castles which were to become important in the conflict. Many of these castles were centres of control in their respective regions, and thus these became political pawns during the war as symbols of control for each side11. One phase of The Anarchy, which was later termed the Castle War, involved Empress Matilda and King Stephen mounting several sieges on castles that were under the control of the opposing side. Additionally, this period saw the construction of many additional castles as part of fortification efforts and an attempt to create protection for land. King Stephen had also created several new earldoms as part of his efforts to prevent attack from Empress Matilda and her army, which meant that the nobility were increasingly important during this time12. Each earldom came to rely on the castle for protection, and thus were integral parts of protection from invasion13. Although this period was not directly part of the struggles between the nobility and the reigning factions, it does show how important castles were becoming to the English landscape and how they could be used in warfare and as part of protection efforts by each side14. Additionally, it illustrates how castles became integral to the nobility and how they could be used to determine political power during the era. During the early parts of the 13th century, Henry II started an effort to destroy some of the castles that had been illegally built during The Anarchy and ensure that castles were associated more strongly with royalty than the aristocracy15. Again, this illustrates the use of castles as part of political power plays, and placed the power of castles firmly into the hands of the royal family, rather than allowing them to become part of nobility. The First Baron’s War of 1215-1217 saw a group of rebellious barons become dissatisfied with the political landscape of the era and mount a number of attacks upon those who it was felt did not deserve power and a refusal of royalty to sign the Magna Carta16. Like the Revolt of the Earls, the nobility were dissatisfied and began the implementation of a rebellion, within which castles would play a crucial role. During this conflict, it also became evident that whichever side captured all the castles would hold power, and this meant that any unguarded or unoccupied castle which was left along a military route was a significant danger to the departing side17. It is also interesting to note that this conflict showed that a huge number of castles (up to a quarter of the known 270 castles that were in England at this time18) were not involved in the conflict, or their capture meant very little to either side with respect to political power. In this sense, it should be noted that not all castles were of such vital importance during this period, and that many of them may have been superfluous. In this sense, not all castles should be considered in such an evaluation, particularly as those which were not prepared for conflict were essentially useless in many senses. Conclusions It takes a sweeping glance of the English countryside in modern times to understand that castles played a crucial role in the shaping of the history of the British Isles, but a thorough investigation illustrates just how integral they were, particularly as icons of political dominance and control. Many castles were built by the royal family, or by members of the aristocracy, and thus are evidently part of the dissatisfaction from the Norman invasion onwards. Additionally, many castles have changed ownership during their lifetimes, which again hints at their importance as symbols of political power, and their ability to be used within warfare and political dissent. In times such as the First Baron’s War and the Revolt of the Earls, there was a group of nobility that felt that the current political atmosphere was not turning in their favour and rebellions were staged. During these times, castles were the main target as they were seen to be associated with royalty and were a prime target for sieges and attacks that would allow the nobility to gain power. Similarly, the castles themselves were important parts of royal power, and thus control could be seized back in an attempt to thwart nobility dissent. Additionally, with their high standard of fortification and their protective abilities, the building of castles became an important part of protecting political power during the early parts of this millennium. It is evident from the research outlined above that castles played a huge role in the shaping of the political and physical landscape of the time for a huge number of reasons, but are now integrally linked to their fortification and symbolism. Bibliography Armitage, E.S., 1912. The early Norman castles of the British Isles. J. Murray. Brown, R.A., 1961. English medieval castles. Simmons-Boardman Pub. Corp. Liddiard, R., 2000. “ Landscapes of Lordship”: Norman Castles and the Countryside in Medieval Norfolk, 1066-1200. Archaeopress. Liddiard, R., 2003. Anglo-Norman Castles. Boydell Press. Liddiard, R., 2005. Castles in context: power, symbolism and landscape, 1066 to 1500. Windgather Pr. Morillo, S., 1997a. Warfare under the Anglo-Norman Kings 1066-1135. Boydell Press. Morillo, S., 1997b. Warfare Under the Anglo-Norman Kings 1066-1135. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. Pounds, N.J.G., 1994. The Medieval Castle in England and Wales: A Political and Social History. Cambridge University Press. Renn, D.F., Gaillard, C., 1964. The First Norman Castles in England: 1051-1071. Centre de Recherches Archeologiques Medievales, Universite de Caen. Renn, D.F., Renn, D.F., 1973. Norman castles in Britain. J. Baker. Strickland, M., 1992. Anglo-Norman warfare: studies in late Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman military organization and warfare. Boydell & Brewer Inc. Thomas, H.M., 2008. The Norman Conquest: England After William the Conqueror. Rowman & Littlefield. Toy, S., 1953. The Castles of Great Britain. Heinemann. Read More