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Schloss Runkelstein. Bolzano, Italy. (Tyrol). 1237 C.E.
Tyrol is a region found above the town of Bolzano in northern Italy. Schloss Runkelstein (Runkelstein
Castle in English, Castel Roncolo in Italian) is a thirteenth century fortress.
Because Tyrol is a semi-autonomous region, in the alps, that connects the German and Italian regions, many languages are spoken here. Including Tyrolean, which is a mix of both.
Runkelstein is unique to the thousands of medieval fortresses in Europe because inside there are vibrant, colorful wall
paintings from the fourteenth century.
On the walls of the great hall (or e Turniersaal or Tournament/Tourneying Hall in English) we find painted walls, where the King would meet with his knights of lesser ranking, host audiences, and even hear petitions or requests from the peasants or townspeople living on his land. Most wall paintings were in churches, and during the reformation, many catholic churches were destroyed or the wall paintings were white-washed.
Because this fortress was preserved well, it holds a unique view of history and art.
Great Hall: The room with the most elaborate decorating, where the king would host audiences, meet with his knights, and listen to the petitions of the peasants who lived on his land. |
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Tournament. Turniersaal. Schloss Runkelstein. 14th century. Wall painting. An Elaborate wall painting done in the great hall of Runkelstien.
details describe great heraldry, Most Heraldry included two categories of colors, a dark color such
as red, blue, black, green or purple and a light metal. Yellow representing gold and white representing silver.
Field, is what the background color was called.
Ordering of colors was strictly obeyed, as it became more and more symbolic and meaningful. Mixing colors could mean a knight being banned from things like a tournament.
Field: The background color of elaborate 14th century wall paintings. |
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Vintler Coat of Arms. Badestube. Schloss Runkelstein. 14th c. Wall painting.
"Other elements of battle equipment became decorated with heraldry over time. Banners with symbols were employed by
battle commanders of field units so that they could determine where to place their forces on the field and to see who was
actually winning." (sway week 3)
Crests were places on helmets, they were places for markings. These were first used for just tournaments, but eventually became normal to use them for battle, and eventually the coat of arms.
In this painting, we see a simple armorial achievement, helmet and crest placed above the shield of arms. we see bear claws as part of the crest, this would have been on a tunic worn by Nickolas or his knights.
coat of arms: The various symbols
organized together on the surcoat or tunic worn over armor. Now refers to one's heraldic devices (this is phrasing we use to describe the symbols) as a whole. |
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Vintler Coat of Arms. Badestube. Schloss Runkelstein. 14th c. Wall painting.
"Other elements of battle equipment became decorated with heraldry over time. Banners with symbols were employed by
battle commanders of field units so that they could determine where to place their forces on the field and to see who was
actually winning." (sway week 3)
Crests were places on helmets, they were places for markings. These were first used for just tournaments, but eventually became normal to use them for battle, and eventually the coat of arms.
In this painting, we see a simple armorial achievement, helmet and crest placed above the shield of arms. we see bear claws as part of the crest, this would have been on a tunic worn by Nickolas or his knights.
coat of arms: The various symbols
organized together on the surcoat or tunic worn over armor. Now refers to one's heraldic devices (this is phrasing we use to describe the symbols) as a whole. |
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Beaumaris Castle. Aerial view. c. 13th century, Wales
"A concentric castle had no central strongpoint and comprised
an inner courtyard surrounded by concentric rings of walls, each
higher than the outside so inner and outer baileys could be defended at the same time. We will learn more about concentric
castle design when we discuss siege warfare." (sway week 4)
castle: Medieval residential fortresses |
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Beaumaris Castle. Gatehouse. c. 13th century, Wales
Reinforced the entrance to the castle entrance, because the entrance was a weak point. Enter the gatehouse through the
Bailey: an enclosure with a rampart that was created from left overs from a ditch, a defensive wall. |
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The Crusader Bible. MS M. 638. Folio 23v. Morgan Library, New York. Manuscript illumination.
Miniature manuscript at the Morgan Library, displays a stone-throwing machine called a trebuchet. These were created in the 12th century, also known as a catapult. They were positioned on a platform, with wheels so they were mobile. Usually had a range about 300 yards, used to break through stone walls.
" They
could be filled with rubbish, garbage, even dead men and animals
which it slung over the castle walls to insult, terrify, spread disease
and infect the water and food supplies." (sway week 4)
This manuscript shows the picture of a man hanging from a stone, which is placed in a Trebuchet. Main colors being bright blue, brown and white.
Trebuchet: Stone throwing machine of the 12th century, used in warfare, also known as a catapult. |
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Detail. Guillaume de Tyr. Crusaders Assault Jerusalem, Histoire d'Outremer. Bibliothèque municipale, Lyon. 14th c. Manuscript illumination.
This is a manuscript displaying scenes of Escalade, the 4th line of defense where crusaders would climb the defensive walls, using ladders, and lower bridges or help to attack from the inside, out. This manuscript shows crusaders climbing the belfry, and using a scaling ladder.
Moat: Defensive trench filled with water, animals and other things to keep invaders from breaching the castle walls. |
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Crac des chevaliers. Aerial view. 12th c. Syria
Example of the greatest defensive and offensive designs. Withstood centuries of siezes, was destroyed in 2014, reconstructed and is open now. Occupied by one of the most dignifignat passanges through the Holy Land. "The Crac des Chevaliers, guarding the vulnerable
narrow section of the kingdom, was one of a network of seven
major castles linked by signal." (Sway week 4)
Concentric castle design.
"he fortress has an
inner bailey surrounded by concentric rings of walls each
higher than that outside so that the inner and outer baileys can
be defended at the same time. Each defense line is self-contained
with the outer bailey being an easily defendable ground if breached
for the defensive forces. The walls have flanking towers allowing fire
from archers and crossbowmen. "
(sway week 4)
concentric castle design: "A concentric castle had no central strongpoint and comprised an inner courtyard surrounded by concentric rings of walls, each higher than the outside so inner and outer baileys could be defended at the same time." |
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Treatise on Cookery. The Forme of Cury. English. 1420s. Add MS 5016. British Library, London.
compiled in the reign of Richard II and presented subsequently to Elizabeth I.
includes approximately 200 recipes
" from main dishes to sauces,
which may have been prepared for the court of Richard II or by later cooks.
Cereals, grains, and porridges are plentiful in this collecton. For example the recipe for frumenty...Several copies of the Forme of Cury exist with many variations and a great influence on other cookbooks." (Gordon, 2015)
medieval cookbook: books written on how to prepare food during medieval times, also contains notes on culture and manners. Usually made for Royal families or aristocracy. |
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Unmaking. Gaston Febus. The Book of Hunting (Le livre de chasse). 14th c. MS fr. 616. Folio 70r. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
This piece of art displays the "unmaking", the second part of the ceremony to turn a dead carcass of an animal into meat. "transformed the
dead animal into meat through the prescribed acts of cutting
open the body down the middle prior to skinning and
dismembering it. The resulting pieces were then given to
particular members of the hunt as part of the curée. After the
unmaking, the huntsmen presented the hounds with their
rewards, which included balls of bread swiped through blood
and placed on the skin of the stag. The hounds would also be
offered the inside of the neck to lick and certain entrails." (sway week 4)
medieval hunting manuals: books with artwork diplaying imagery and symbolism for how to hunt and prepare meat for a feast. |
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The Luttrell Psalter. English. c. 1325
-1340. Add MS 42130 Folios
30-31. British Library, London.
one of the most famous medieval manuscripts in the world and produced sometime between 1325 and 1335.
Painted in rich colors, decorated in gold and silver, and virtually the only of its kind. Has lively and humorous documentation of a year on an aristocratic estate. Pictures of all types of people and activities of a "merry England". Idealized versions of reality, designed to please sir Geoffrey. 150 ancient songs to form a book of the Bible. Many people learned to read by learning the Psalms. The manuscript is named after the original patron, sir Geoffrey. The style says that he commissioned it between 1320-1340.
This Psalter has many, many images of everyday life, and special events and ceremonies, as well.
ritual: A ceremony used for specific reasons, religious and societal. |
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Par force hunting the stag. Gaston Febus.
The Book of Hunting (Le livre de
chasse). 14th c. MS fr. 616. Folio 85r.
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
In the book of hunting, displays the Par Force type of hunting that was reserved for a stag, boar, or a bear. Was considered to be the most noble, though not the only animals or way of hunting in the medieval times. This artwork shows men on horses with dogs chasing the prey with words at the top describing the hunt.
à force/par force: A specific and noble way of hunting prey during the medieval times. |
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