The interdisciplinary symposium will focus on the political and military aspects of castles in medieval warfare, in particular during the period AD 1000–1660. Castles were strongholds of vital military importance and played a central role in the political strategies of the ruling elite. The role of castles in medieval warfare has long been considered a topic primarily for a narrow circle of specialists in military history, while historians have generally focussed on the broader social, economic and political aspects of castles and archaeologists focused on the structural aspects and excavations of particular sites. The picture is changing, however, and both historians and archaeologists are starting to recognise decisive importance of castles in medieval warfare.

A number of prominent scholars and colleagues from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Sweden and UK have been invited to present their research on various aspects of this exciting topic, thereby emphasising the common context shared by the medieval castles of Northern Europe.

The symposium will be divided into sessions encompassing the following general topics:

• The role of castles in political strategy

• Military aspects of castle construction

• Siege as one of the most important elements of medieval warfare.

The overall objective is thus an understanding of the political and military role of castles in the middle ages – a period dominated by national and international strife.

The symposium proceedings will be published.

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Symposium Programme (preliminary - the final programme will be presented at the beginning of April 2013):

Monday 29th April 2013

9.30–12.00 Papers

12.00–13.00 Lunch

13.00–16.30 Papers

17.00: Annual General Meeting of the Danish Castle Research Association

19.00: Symposium banquet at Nyborg Castle

Tuesday 30th April 2013

10.00–12.00: Papers

12.00–13.00 Lunch

13.00–14.00: Guided tour of Nyborg Castle

14.00–16.00: Papers and final discussion

List of papers (confirmed):

Knut Arstad, Norwegian Defence Museum, Norway: "Castles and their role in the Norwegian civil wars, 12th–13th Century."

Rainer Atzbach, Aarhus University: "Maschicouli and the legend of hot pitch as a defence weapon".

Oliver Auge, Kiel University: "The castles of the lower nobility in Schleswig and Holstein and the Nordic conflict with the Hanseatic League."

Felix Biermann, Göttingen University: "Slavic strongholds in the southern Baltic area at war."

Vivian Etting, National Museum of Denmark: "The fatal siege of the royal castle in Stockholm 1501–1502. The beginning of the end of the Nordic Union."

Christofer Herrmann, Gdansk University: "The castles in the wars of the Teutonic Order – constructions between the Nordic sphere and Central Europe."

Carsten Selch Jensen, University of Copenhagen: "Castles and war in 13th Century. Livonia and Estonia according to Henry of Livonia."

Janus Møller Jensen, Nyborg Castle: "Crusader castles in the Baltic."

Eva Oese, Independent researcher: "Cesis." Peter Purton, Independent researcher: "The place of sapping and mining as part of siege warfare."

Anders Reisnert, Malmø Museum: "The castle of Lindholmen under siege."

Jørgen Arevad Skårup, Independent researcher: "Borrebjerg and Guldborg – Danish hillforts of the 1100s attacked and conquered by the Wends."

Gerd Strickhausen, Independent researcher: "The beginning of firearms in Northern Europe and Hesse."

Claus Frederik Sørensen, Nyborg Castle: "Nyborg Castle and town during the "Count’s Feud" 1534–1536."

Olaf Wagener, Heidelberg University: "Strongholds around castles – the control of communication in a siege."

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Registration: 

Please register before 15th March 2013, either by email to MBL@museumlollandfalster.dk or by letter to Museum Lolland-Falster, Frisegade 40, 4800 Nykøbing Falster, Denmark (mark the letter "MBL").

Registration fee and payment information:

The registration fee is DKK 700 / 95 EUR. The registration fee covers participation, lunch on Monday and Tuesday, coffee on Monday and Tuesday and the symposium banquet Monday evening.

The registration fee should be paid to Museum Lolland-Falster at:

Nordea Bank,

IBAN: DK3520006750003654

SWIFT: NDEADKKK

For Danish participants: regnr. 2205, kontonr. 6750003654

Venue: Riddersalen, Nyborg Slot, Slotsgade 34, DK-5800 Nyborg, Denmark.

Accommodation: Symposium participants should make their own arrangements for accommodation and transport to and from Nyborg.

Enquiries: Please direct all enquiries to MBL@museumlollandfalster.dk For further information, see www.borgforskning.org

Organisation and Funding The symposium is being organised by the board of The Danish Castle Research Association "Magt, Borg og Landskab":

Rainer Atzbach, Vivian Etting, Lars Meldgaard Sass Jensen, Leif Plith Lauritsen, Dorthe Danner Lund, Martin Borring Olesen, Claus Ravn and Claus F. Sørensen.