Describe and explain the development of Mont Orgueil Castle During the period C 1200 - 1600

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Thomas Evans                10/05/2007

History Coursework

Describe and explain the development of Mont Orgueil Castle During the period C 1200 – 1600

        During the period C 1200 – 1600 there was a rapid development in castles technology because of the innovations in eastern Asia such as guns curved walls and concentric design. Because of this, the western world had troubles in the crusades because the castles were almost impenetrable eventually seeing the innovation in front of them they brought the ideas of Asia to Europe. As the Invention of the cannon had serious consequences to the construction of castles, the cannon could take down the walls at a great distance; the changes made to Mont Orgueil’s design through further additions to counter these new threats demonstrate this.

        The exact date that Mont Orgueil was built is unknown, though it is estimated that it started construction at 1204 at the earliest and was completed by 1212 we know this because of writings of the time mentioned the castle was finished by 1212.

        Mont Orgueil was built due to a change in the ownership of Normandy, the stretch of French coast 14 miles off the coast of Jersey. It passed from the hands of King John of England to King Philip-Augustus of France. This happened for a number of reasons that for us to understand fully we must look 50 years further back to 1154 AD.

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By the 1170’s Henry, the Second was King of England as was he the count of Maine, count of Anjou, the duke of Normandy, the Duke of Aquitaine and the Duke of Brittany. This was called the Anjevin Empire after his family name Angevin. King John inherited because Phillip- Augustus made an elaborate plan based on divide and conquer as all his older brothers had been killed he inherited this empire, but did not defend it well. In 1204, King Philip-Augustus invaded Normandy and other parts of France. Because of this, Jersey changed from being a backwater in the Anjevin ...

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