Content area
Abstract
This thesis examines castles in two regions: the Latin East and the Baltic. Few comparative studies have considered the relationship between fortification, holy war, and sacred geography in these areas. Instead of limiting itself to a discussion of architectural differences, this study analyzes the military, societal, and religious perceptions of castles.
The scholarship of archaeologists and military historians is foundational when examining the castle as a military installation. Theories pertaining to the crusades and armed pilgrimage in the medieval world allow us to examine castles as centers of Christian society. The scholarship on comparative religion, sacred landscapes, and space studies aids in the analysis of castles as religious objects and creators of Holy Lands.
This study concludes that medieval authors understood sacred landscapes and spaces as recurring manifestations that were not limited to one specific city or area of the world. Moreover, they very much applied this understanding to the castles they encountered, specifically in the context of holy war and crusade.
