Medieval Architecture Quiz #3

Crusades

A series of religious wars, primarily between Christians and Muslims, from the 11th to the 13th centuries, fought to control holy sites like Jerusalem. The first crusade successfully captured Jerusalem, although subsequent crusades after it’s recapture by Saladin all failed.

Levant

The primary geographic region where the Crusades took place, encompassing most the eastern mediterranean border. After the First Crusade, several European-ruled states emerged —> Kingdom of Jerusalem, Tripoli, Antioch, Cyprus.

Motte & Bailey castle

Following the Norman conquest of England (King William of Normandy successfully invades England and establishes himself as King in 1066), the simplest of Norman castles. Comprised of a mound (motte) made of earth and stone, with a wooden palisade or keep on top for the lord. Surrounding this or touching it is a bailey or open yard with a wooden defensive barrier containing kitchen, blacksmith, workshops, chapel, stables, stores, etc. The whole thing would be surrounded with a water ditch (moat). If the castles’s location is good long-term, the wooden palisade on top would be replaced by a masonry, stone to be more permanent and comfortable.

Stone Keep castle

A second level of complexity for medieval Norman castles, the Stone Keep was an evolution from the motte and bailey, with a more durable stone keep for the lord rather than a wooden one on top of a motte. These were usually built higher than the surrounding walls and bailey below, but the walls were now stone and very tall in comparison to the wooden fences in the previous simple designs. The moat is deeper and bigger, with a wooden fence around it and a drawbridge across.

Concentric castle

The final realized Norman castle, an evolution of the Stone Keep in response to advancements in siege tactics. Similar but instead with two stone walls and a moat in between them, providing an extra level of defense. More towers and a gatehouse. Essentially a castle within a castle type of design, with the space between the inner and outer walls as a trap for attackers, as they would be stuck in a moat and can be attacked from multiple angles. Often the central keep would be replaced by several buildings within the inner Bailey due to its new redundancy. New defenses included arrow slits, murder holes, machicolations.

Fosse

The external walls and moat/ditches

Bailey or Bawn

Curtain walls that enclose a courtyard with the main castle complex at the center.

Gatehouse or Mural Tower

Main entrance with kitchen, cistern, accommodations.

Watergate

Direct connection to a river or harbor that facilitated easy restocking of supplies

Arrow slits

Slits or openings in walls for firing arrows through

Murder holes

holes in the ceiling through which items could be dropped; also used for communication between floors

Machicolations

Stone structures high up over entranceways, used to drop stuff (often to murder)

Crenellations

Uneven wall continuations that give castles their distinct features in the upper sections; provide protection and cover

Wall Walk

Pathway providing access to the different points of the castle roofline (towers)

Parapet or Battlement

The wall running along the top to protect those on patrol, on which crenellations sit.

Keep / Donjon

Principal tower of the castle

Turret and projecting towers

small, projecting towers that emerge from a larger structure, typically at a corner (kind of self-explanatory)

Garderobes

Toilets (high up towers or sections of a larger wall in which someone poops or pees at the top and it falls down to be collected and removed later)

Hall

An open-plan multifunctional space; identified by elaborate sculptural decoration and distinct architectural features

Moat

The water ditches around the inner walls of concentric castles and the outer walls of stone keeps, designed for enemies to fall in and become trapped/have movement constricted. A defense measure.

Outer and inner walls

self explanatory

The Golden Gate, Constantinople

The Golden Gate is the main entrance into Constantinople by land (through the Theodosian Walls which surrounded the entire city). Served as the imperial entrance for returning emperors, adorned with gilded bronze doors and statues. 

Saxons

The group of Germanic tribes who migrated to Britain around the 5th century (after the Romans withdrew). They established their own kingdoms and the English language and ruled until the Norman Conquest of 1066 when William the Conqueror took over and established the Normans as the new ruling force.

Hajj

The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is one of the five pillars of Islam that is required of every Muslim who is able to perform it once in a lifetime.

Qur’an

The central religious text of Islam, created by Mohammed the Prophet (according to legend was dictated to him by the Archangel Gabriel between 610 and 632). The basic duties of every Muslim are outlined:

1. Prayer (five times a day, communally on Friday)

2. Fasting during Ramadan, no drinking, no pork

3. Almsgiving (charity to poor)

4. Hajj (trip to Mecca)

5. Observance of one true God and Mohammed as his messenger

Kaaba

The cube, the most sacred site in Islam, a cube-shaped building that predates the religion and according to legend was built by Abraham, and represents the metaphorical house of God/oneness of God, pilgrims must circumambulate it seven times in a counter-clockwise direction (Tawaf).

Qibla

The direction Muslims face when praying, which is towards the Kaaba.

Tawaf

Tawaf is the Islamic ritual of walking around the Kaaba seven times in a counter-clockwise direction, starting from the Black Stone. It is a mandatory part of the Hajj. The ritual symbolizes the pilgrim's life revolving around Allah, similar to planets revolving around a central force.

Caliphs

Mohammad’s successors, who led the Muslim community following the death of Mohammad. There were four of them and they led until 661 when the Umayyad Caliphate took over. 

The Umayyads

(661-750), a hereditary, dynastic system ruling from Damascus, during which the empire expanded significantly, they were overthrown by the Abbasids. One of the members escaped to Cordoba and established the caliphate of Cordoba which lasted until 1031.

The Abbasids

(750-1258), took over from the Umayyads, transferred the capital in 762 from Damascus to Madinat as-Salam, the City of Peach, better known as Baghdad.

The Samanids

(819-999), ruled Persia and much of Central Asia after the collapse of the Sassanian Empire after the Arabic conquest, succeeded by the Selijuqs.

The Seljuqs

(1037-1194), succeed the Samanids, adding modern-day Turkey and Iraq to their empire.

Mosaics

Labor-intensive, Costly (approx. 4x the cost of wall painting), Durable, Greater color intensity, Slightly irregular surface, Reflective surface - glittering

Mihrab

A shallow niche in the wall of a mosque, at the point nearest to Mecca, facing Mecca. The congregation faces the mihrab to pray.

Minbar

An interior pulpit platform with staircase up to the top, from which the imam (religious leader) conducts Friday prayers. Usually situated to the right of the mihrab.

Qibla wall

The wall in a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca, which is the direction Muslims face while praying. Usually the mihrab is within this wall, guiding worshippers during prayer.

Maqsura

Screened space under the dome used for ceremonies, originally used for the protection of a muslim ruler during prayer.

Minaret

A tall slender tower that is part of an islamic mosque, used to project the Muslim call to prayer (adhan). Used to call the faithful to prayer, but also as a prominent visual symbol of Islam.

Sahn

A large central courtyard typically found in mosques, surrounded by arcades and often containing a fountain or pool for rituals. Serves as a commnuical space for prayer, gatherings. Similar to atriums (basilica-plan churches) or cloisters (monasteries). 

Prayer hall

Space for muslims to perform congregational or individual prayers, most important part of the mosque, usually no furniture in order to accommodate as many worshippers as possible.

Muqarnas

Tiered niche-like ornament, three dimensional decorative feature to create a honey-comb like appearance, decorative and structural.

Arabesque

Ornamental design of intertwined lines and natural forms, representing the infinite nature of God. developed around the 10th century, rich ornamentation without the use of human or animal motifs (forbidden in Islamic tradition).

Moors

Inhabitants of southern Spain who were converted to Islam in the 7th and 8th centuries after the Umayyad conquest (ruled from 711-1492).

Ottoman

(1281-1924) a powerful empire that controlled the Holy Lands, parts of Northern Africa, some of Arabia, and eventually turkey and Greece after conquering Constantinople in 1453.

Safavid

(1501-1732) empire that controlled modern day Iran, had a rivalry with the Ottoman, moved the capital to Isfahan.

Mughal

(1526-1857) empire that controlled modern day India, Pakistan, and some of Afghanistan. 

Armenians