Conquest From Behind These Walls: The Role Of Castles And Fortified Towns In The Anglo-Norman Occupation Of Wales

From the Norman Conquest to the reign of King Edward I, the Anglo-Norman marcher lords carried out a gradual and improvised conquest of the Welsh princedoms through the usage of castles and fortifications. This paper will seek to uncover the military, political, and cultural significance of these castles, examining not only how they were used, but also what they meant to the people of the Welsh marches. In order to achieve this, this paper will draw upon a combination of historical chronicles and literary sources dating from the period. Ultimately, this paper will seek to prove that the castles used by the marcher lords to conquer and control territory had a huge impact on the military, political, and cultural aspects of life in the Welsh marches during the Anglo-Norman conquest.