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Norman Fortresses (Motte-and-Bailey)

Type Object Region Western Europe Time c. 950–1200

A type of earth-and-timber defensive castle widely used by the Normans in 10th–11th-century Western Europe, consisting of a wooden tower on an artifi…

Timeline

  1. c. 950–1000Normandy · NormandyUnder the descendants of Rollo, the Normans built motte-and-timber-tower fortresses throughout Normandy, using rapid construction to control river crossings and agricultural hinterlands, forming a network of private feudal strongpoints.
  2. 1031–1040Normandy · NormandyUnder Norman dukes Robert I and his son William (later William the Conqueror), Norman fortresses spread further across the duchy; archaeological sites show frequent castle-building activity in this period, supporting the territorial control of the feudal knightly class.
  3. 1066–1100England · EnglandAfter the Norman Conquest, William I built fortresses on a large scale in England to suppress Saxon resistance; the Tower of London was originally a typical motte-and-bailey structure, replicating the Norman castle-building model across the Channel.
  4. 1100–1200Western Europe · Western EuropeAs siege techniques advanced and lords' wealth grew, wooden towers were replaced by stone keeps and many mottes were given stone walls; motte-and-bailey, as a transitional form, gradually gave way to permanent stone castles.

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