Y Castell: Amddiffyn Y Castell


Y Castell: Amddiffyn

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-The castle - an image of Wales...

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-..that's famous

-throughout the world.

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-During this series...

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-..I'll explore its construction...

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-..defences...

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-..and decor.

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-It's a riveting story and one

-which is quintessentially Welsh.

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-There are more castles

-per square feet in Wales...

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-..than any other country

-of equal size.

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-They attract droves of tourists.

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-But for us,

-they're an uncomfortable legacy.

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-The outcome of ferocious battles...

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-..that ultimately

-led to us being conquered.

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-In order to understand

-the castle's true significance...

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-..I've journeyed throughout Wales...

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-..over the border

-and across the continent...

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-..to see how the castle...

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-..claims a central place

-in many countries' history...

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-..sparking the imaginations

-of people of all ages...

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-..and arousing a lasting interest.

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-How does the castle occupy our

-dreams and capture our imagination?

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-To answer that question...

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-..one must fully understand

-the nature of the castle.

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-Is it a fort or is it a home?

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-A combination of pride and folly...

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-..or does it combine vision

-with hard labour, skill...

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-..and determination?

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-Does it prove...

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-..that, ultimately,

-it is military power that counts...

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-..or does it embody courage

-and privilege, love and romance?

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-Does it frighten...

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-..or does it excite?

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-It's a prominent

-and powerful symbol...

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-..but do we

-truly understand the castle?

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-How do you capture a castle?

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-And how do you defend one...

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-..against thousands of armed men?

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-It's a matter of mind...

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-..as well as might.

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-This episode focuses on the courage

-of knights and warriors...

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-..in the heat of battle...

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-..as their chieftains

-try to answer...

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-..one of the era's

-most important military questions.

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-How do you capture a castle?

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-These days, you'd deploy countless

-armies and heavy artillery...

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-..to target the enemy's weakness.

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-But back in the Middle Ages,

-things weren't so sophisticated.

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-Weapons weren't as powerful...

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-..though a military onslaught

-was still frightening.

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-This is how the castle

-withstood all manner of attacks...

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-..and from every direction.

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-The attackers' tactics

-were inventive.

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-If the castle walls

-were too mighty and tall...

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-..it was possible

-to tunnel underneath them.

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-Some kings were willing

-to use more destructive means.

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-The castle builders, in turn...

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-..had to work tirelessly

-to fortify the castle.

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-I've travelled to the continent

-to see how it was possible...

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-..to adapt the shape of the walls

-to withstand missiles...

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-..and tunnelling...

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-..and how they came a step closer

-to building the perfect castle.

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-The force of attack

-was increasing all the time.

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-This is what our famous

-Welsh revolutionary experienced...

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-..when he tried to retain his grip

-on the oppressors' castles.

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-It's the first time

-the gun was used in Wales.

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-It shows how Glyndwr succeeded

-in angering the English authorities.

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-Losing these castles was

-something no-one had anticipated.

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-Until fairly recently

-in our history...

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-..the castle was key in the fierce

-struggle for crown and throne.

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-A Welshman, born in a castle

-in Wales, wore the English crown.

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-A hero who would lead Wales

-to independence once again.

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-But weapons were being invented

-to overpower the heroes.

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-Despite the castle's resilience...

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-..a time will come

-when surrender becomes inevitable.

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-We often think of the Middle Ages

-as an era dominated by violence.

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-It's a rather unbalanced view.

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-For long periods,

-right across Europe...

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-..people lived in peace.

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-Ordinary folk saw their health

-improve and living standards rise.

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-But in the end,

-they were ruled by coercion.

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-Their rulers asserted their right

-through military might, if need be.

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-The castle was a symbol

-of their strength and authority.

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-But it was also a symbol

-of status and generosity too.

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-The castle is therefore different

-from the Roman fort on one hand...

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-..and the halls

-of the Welsh princes on the other.

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-The fort was a refuge

-for battalions of soldiers.

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-The hall

-was a place in which to feast.

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-But the castle

-defends a powerful individual...

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-..and his close family.

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-It serves a military purpose.

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-It is that purpose which continues

-to capture children's imaginations.

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-It's fun to pick up a toy sword...

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-..and pretend to capture a castle.

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-But at the time, of course,

-it was far from easy to achieve.

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-In the heat of battle...

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-..the quality of your sword

-was a matter of grave importance.

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-Sword technology leapt forward...

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-..with the use

-of hardened and tempered steel.

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-Specialised blacksmiths ensured

-the sword became a fearsome weapon.

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-It was common for a knight

-to name his sword...

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-..and believe it to be magical...

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-..like the legendary sword

-of King Arthur.

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-Excalibur.

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-Each sword had a blade to strike...

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-..and a hilt to hold.

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-But the exact shape of the weapon

-varied greatly.

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-The knight went into battle

-with other weapons too.

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-Clubs and maces.

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-Pikes and lances.

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-The Welsh were famous

-for their archery prowess.

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-On the battlefield...

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-..every weapon could be deadly.

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-An expert knight in full armour...

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-..could be powerful enough

-to change the course of battle.

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-But against the castle wall,

-none of this was of much avail.

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-Often, no matter

-how powerful its weapons were...

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-..an army resorted to siege tactics

-in order to capture a castle.

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-One of the most famous sieges

-of the Middle Ages...

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-..happened at Rochester in Kent.

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-Visiting the castle in person,

-it's easy to see why.

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-After signing

-the Magna Carta in 1215...

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-..King John

-reneged on the promises he'd made...

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-..to the barons and his subjects.

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-It provoked widespread rebellion.

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-Rochester Castle stood guard

-over one of the few bridges...

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-..across the River Medway.

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-When rebel barons seized the castle,

-King John knew he had to act.

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-The Siege of 1215 was one of

-the bloodiest in English history.

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-John was in no mood to be merciful.

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-The barons' archers

-fiercely defended their stronghold.

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-John's soldiers

-launched a counterattack.

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-They succeeded in capturing

-the bridge over the river.

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-But if you were inside here,

-you wouldn't care about them...

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-..because there were

-mighty walls to protect you.

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-Firing arrows

-over the castle's walls was futile.

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-But John had something

-far more powerful in his armoury.

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-The trebuchet.

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-He brought

-no less than five of them here.

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-Rochester's walls

-were put to the test...

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-..by the might of the trebuchet,

-the powerful siege weapon.

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-Rochester, 1215.

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-King John

-attacks the rebel barons...

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-..inside the castle.

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-The outer walls crumble

-but the keep remains intact.

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-Today, traces of restoration work...

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-..can clearly be seen

-in the interior walls, but how so?

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-This arch, or semi-arch...

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-..proves that John succeeded

-in destabilising the tower...

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-..and the barons' hopes.

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-They felt safe within these walls.

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-After all, the keep

-had withstood five trebuchets...

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-..each hurling missiles

-at their walls.

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-But John had a plan

-that would undermine everything.

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-He sent out an order to his men.

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-"With all speed by day and night,

-40 of the fattest pigs."

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-It wasn't

-such a preposterous idea.

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-In an age before gunpowder...

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-..pig fat could set a fire blazing

-with almost incendiary force.

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-King John's men

-proceeded to dig a tunnel...

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-..under

-one of the corners of the keep.

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-They shored up the foundations

-with wooden pit props.

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-Then, with the fat from the pigs,

-they ignited a fire.

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-Within the keep,

-the collapse came without warning.

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-The defenders didn't even realize

-the immediate threat.

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-But the props beneath them

-were starting to burn.

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-Suddenly, the strain

-on the tower's foundations...

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-..proves too much...

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-..and the corner collapses...

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-..leaving the attackers

-with easy access.

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-The animals' sacrifice

-was worthwhile...

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-..because

-this part of the keep collapsed.

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-I'm sure

-there was a pleasant taste...

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-..to the king's breakfast

-that morning!

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-After the war, when they

-set about rebuilding the tower...

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-..they gave it a rounded shape...

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-..which is what we see here today.

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-There are failings

-in the original towers...

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-..which still stand

-on every other corner of the keep.

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-The square shape left it susceptible

-to collapse, if undermined.

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-Thanks to his pigs, John became

-king of the castle once again.

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-But the story wasn't over yet.

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-The keep's weakness

-had been exposed.

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-But now, the inner strength

-of the keep showed itself.

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-The architect of the original

-castle was William of Corbeil.

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-He was a Norman baron

-who was also an archbishop.

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-He was responsible for the design

-of Canterbury Cathedral.

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-He knew how to build

-a solid structure.

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-Inside the keep at Rochester...

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-..William built a thick crosswall...

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-..which splits the space in two.

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-After John's men ploughed through

-the external wall on one corner...

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-..the defenders

-retreated to the surviving half...

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-..until hunger

-forced them to surrender.

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-Their effort was so heroic...

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-..that the king's supporters

-persuaded him to show mercy.

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-There was only one execution.

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-An archer who'd switched sides...

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-..having been in

-the king's service since childhood.

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-For both the attackers

-and the defenders...

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-..there were clear lessons to be

-learnt from the Rochester Siege.

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-Every attack fortified the castle...

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-..in the sense that the builders

-always learnt from their weaknesses.

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-This is

-how the castle developed quickly...

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-..from the original motte and bailey

-to something far more impenetrable.

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-In order to view one of

-the most inventive improvements...

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-..one must come to Normandy,

-to the Seine Valley...

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-..close to

-the village of Les Andelys.

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-20 years

-before the Rochester Siege...

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-..it was here at Chateau Gaillard

-that builders found a way...

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-..of incorporating

-several round towers...

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-..in an unbroken defensive line.

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-The design's architect

-was King John's brother...

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-..Richard the Lionheart.

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-Richard was one of

-England's greatest kings...

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-..and was also the Duke of Normandy.

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-When you see this place

-for the first time...

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-..you have to take a deep breath...

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-..as anyone who wanted to attack

-the place would have to do.

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-Richard was very proud

-of his miraculous castle...

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-..that was built in a year.

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-It's not just part of the landscape,

-it governs the landscape.

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-It allowed King Richard

-to move goods and soldiers...

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-..along the river.

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-Chateau Gaillard's purpose

-was to defend Richard's territory...

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-..against the King of France...

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-..according to local historian

-Coralie Menanteau.

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-Richard the Lionheart built the

-castle in the shape of a triangle...

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-..to block the French access routes.

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-There are numerous defensive layers

-and many walls surrounding it.

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-It's a form of passive defence -

-it exhausts the enemy...

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-..before they get close

-to the heart of the castle.

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-With France

-posing a constant threat...

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-..it required incredible effort

-to build on such a large scale...

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-..in such a short space of time.

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-They could build quickly

-for many reasons.

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-Firstly, they used local stone,

-materials from surrounding areas.

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-The essential stone came from

-ditches surrounding the castle.

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-The workers excavated it themselves.

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-There was plenty

-to build the castle walls.

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-Later, as many people came here

-to build the castle.

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-A total of 6,000 workers

-came to Les Andelys...

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-..with 2,500 labouring here daily

-to build Chateau Gaillard.

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-Richard supervised

-the construction work personally.

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-History acknowledges that he was

-the architect of this unique design.

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-It was completed at speed

-under threat from the French army.

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-If you wanted to ensure that any

-castle could withstand an attack...

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-..you needed a supply

-of fresh water.

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-The answer was to create a well,

-deep underground.

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-The workers were running out of

-oxygen due to the lamps they used.

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-They went

-further and further underground...

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-..until they reached

-a depth of 100 metres...

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-..the level of the river below.

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-The Duke of Normandy

-had to empty his coffers...

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-..to erect Chateau Gaillard.

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-12.7 million ducat was required.

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-A very substantial percentage...

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-..of any country's economy

-during the Middle Ages.

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-In less than two years...

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-..the castle was complete.

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-Richard was the ruler of the Seine

-and every territory on its banks.

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-His inventive design

-of round towers...

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-..stood solidly against

-the onslaught of French soldiers.

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-The king

-could revel in his masterpiece.

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-This is what Richard would've seen.

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-His miraculous castle.

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-It was so beautiful that he referred

-to it as his one-year-old daughter.

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-It was so mighty...

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-..it dominated the entire river

-and its surrounding territories.

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-The next leap...

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-..was taken in Wales by Gilbert

-de Clare, a young Norman baron...

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-..also known as Red Gilbert.

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-This is Caerphilly Castle...

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-..the first castle in Britain...

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-..designed to be defended

-by walls within walls.

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-The sheer scale

-of Caerphilly Castle...

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-..is a lasting source of amazement.

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-In its day, it took defensive

-strategy to a whole new level.

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-It was de Clare's and

-his chief stonemason's vision...

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-..to erect multiple obstacles

-for potential attackers.

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-Each time an attacker overcame an

-obstacle, he was faced by a new one.

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-Penetrating one gatehouse

-led only to another.

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-Crossing a drawbridge

-meant facing a portcullis...

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-..and a further set of doors.

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-And at every turn...

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-..defenders firing down

-from the towers and walls.

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-Artificial lakes

-surrounded the structure...

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-..to keep siege engines

-at a distance...

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-..and thwart any effort

-to tunnel beneath the walls.

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-It's thanks to the efforts

-of de Clare's builders...

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-..that defensive technology

-was advancing rapidly.

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-But the opposing strength of

-the onslaught was escalating too.

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-At a rapid pace.

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-In the Marches and

-many other areas across Europe...

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-..attackers

-were able to capture castles.

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-One castle could change hands

-from one side to another...

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-..from the Welsh to the English

-time and time again...

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-..up to 12 times

-across the course of a century.

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-These transfers of control

-were rarely peaceful.

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-In time,

-the sheer force of the attack...

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-..became more and more destructive.

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-So much so that castle builders

-across Europe started dreaming...

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-..of building the perfect castle.

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-One that couldn't be captured.

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-One that would withstand any storm.

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-But was this dream a foolish one?

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-.

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-Subtitles

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-Faced with fierce attacks

-during the Middle Ages...

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-..the castle's architects succeeded

-in strengthening it further.

0:25:230:25:28

-As the craft of castle building

-reached its pinnacle...

0:25:280:25:32

-..it was a natural step

-to extend the defensive walls...

0:25:320:25:36

-..to encompass the entire town.

0:25:360:25:38

-Whether it's

-the perfect castle or not...

0:25:450:25:48

-..the walls of this fortification...

0:25:480:25:51

-..defended

-an entire city from the enemy.

0:25:510:25:54

-For the might

-of its defensive system...

0:25:550:25:58

-..its name

-became renowned across Europe.

0:25:580:26:01

-Carcassonne.

0:26:020:26:03

-This was

-an important strategic location...

0:26:090:26:12

-..close to the Pyrenees,

-in the borderlands between France...

0:26:130:26:17

-..and the ancient kingdom

-of Aragon in northern Spain.

0:26:170:26:21

-One gate

-forms the only entry to Carcassonne.

0:26:210:26:25

-The Porte Narbonnaise.

0:26:250:26:27

-It's guarded by two flanking towers

-and a double barbican.

0:26:270:26:31

-The settlement inside has been

-fortified since Roman times...

0:26:340:26:39

-..but its restoration...

0:26:390:26:41

-..is what attracts

-five million visitors every year.

0:26:420:26:45

-Its defensive system

-is what makes Carcassonne unique.

0:26:500:26:55

-Despite the grandeur

-of its design...

0:26:570:27:00

-..it's a system reliant

-on thousands of fine details.

0:27:000:27:04

-Uneven walls

-make it almost impossible...

0:27:060:27:09

-..to prop siege ladders

-up against it.

0:27:090:27:13

-There are hourds, wooden shelters,

-to protect the defending bowmen.

0:27:160:27:21

-And the breteches,

-balconies with machicolations...

0:27:240:27:28

-..were murder holes

-to kill the enemy below.

0:27:280:27:31

-There's genius too in the way

-the ancient Roman fortifications...

0:27:350:27:40

-..are integrated into the circuit

-of medieval double walls.

0:27:400:27:44

-The Romans

-built the first wall in 300AD.

0:27:440:27:51

-Back then, the wall's

-sole purpose was to defend the city.

0:27:510:27:55

-A passive system of defence.

-It defended, that is all.

0:27:560:28:01

-The second wall, built in the 13thC,

-was an active defence system.

0:28:020:28:07

-The aim is to attack the enemy

-before they reach the city...

0:28:070:28:11

-..and defeat them as best we can.

0:28:110:28:14

-This active defensive system

-allowed the garrison...

0:28:160:28:20

-..to carry the fight to any army

-who threatened Carcassonne.

0:28:200:28:24

-There were other things

-to perturb the enemy.

0:28:270:28:30

-The murder holes, the hourds

-for the archers and so on.

0:28:300:28:34

-Though some enemies tried

-to bombard the city from afar...

0:28:340:28:39

-..only the most audacious,

-or foolish...

0:28:390:28:43

-..would dare attack

-the walls on foot...

0:28:430:28:46

-..when the walls offered defenders

-so many advantages...

0:28:460:28:50

-..long before anyone

-reached the heart of the castle.

0:28:500:28:54

-Here it is.

0:28:560:28:58

-The Earl's Castle...

0:28:580:29:00

-..where the lords of Carcassonne

-could rule without fear...

0:29:000:29:05

-..knowing that Europe's most

-sophisticated defensive system...

0:29:050:29:10

-..protected them from every enemy.

0:29:100:29:13

-It might not have been perfect...

0:29:130:29:15

-..but it was far better

-to be inside it than outside.

0:29:150:29:19

-Every powerful stronghold formed

-the basis of its ruler's authority.

0:29:240:29:29

-It was also a means...

0:29:300:29:32

-..of establishing the reign of

-a foreign king over a new territory.

0:29:320:29:37

-But if such a castle fell into

-the hands of the natives...

0:29:390:29:43

-..the weapon

-turned against its creator.

0:29:440:29:47

-It's a very powerful symbol

-of revolt.

0:29:470:29:50

-That's what happened

-here in Wales...

0:29:520:29:54

-..in 1404.

0:29:550:29:57

-Harlech Castle was built

-for King Edward I of England.

0:30:000:30:05

-It was part of his

-ambitious construction plans...

0:30:050:30:09

-..to keep the Welsh under his thumb.

0:30:100:30:12

-Edward chose the location wisely.

0:30:120:30:15

-Today, the castle stands

-above acres of land...

0:30:180:30:22

-..that was once covered by sea.

0:30:220:30:24

-Back then, it stood

-directly above the shoreline.

0:30:260:30:29

-If it was under siege...

0:30:330:30:34

-..reinforcements and food

-could be shipped here directly.

0:30:340:30:39

-Edward's chief stonemason...

0:30:410:30:43

-..Master James of St George...

0:30:430:30:46

-..used the era's

-most sophisticated techniques...

0:30:460:30:50

-..to build

-the most impenetrable walls.

0:30:500:30:53

-But a century later,

-none of that was enough...

0:30:530:30:56

-..to keep Harlech

-from falling into Welsh hands.

0:30:560:30:59

-In 1400...

0:31:050:31:07

-..Wales had risen up...

0:31:070:31:09

-..under its rebel leader,

-Owain Glyndwr.

0:31:100:31:13

-Some regarded Glyndwr

-as the Son of Prophesy...

0:31:130:31:17

-..who would deliver the Welsh

-from English rule.

0:31:170:31:21

-What's striking

-about Owain Glyndwr...

0:31:210:31:24

-..is that he called himself the

-Prince of Wales from the outset.

0:31:240:31:28

-He didn't revolt and think...

0:31:290:31:31

-.."This is going well, I'll try

-to become the Prince of Wales."

0:31:310:31:35

-He had vision right from the start.

0:31:360:31:38

-He captures Harlech and Aberystwyth.

0:31:380:31:42

-He certainly retained his grip

-on these castles...

0:31:420:31:46

-..the Edwardian castles.

0:31:460:31:49

-Edward's castle

-soon became Owain's castle.

0:31:490:31:53

-But the grandeur of

-the fortification still declared...

0:31:540:31:58

-..that Harlech was a royal court.

0:31:580:32:01

-Standing here, I can feel the power

-that existed in the bygone age.

0:32:020:32:06

-The place was the headquarters

-of not a rebel or a rioter...

0:32:060:32:10

-..but a king, the King Owain.

0:32:110:32:13

-He was surrounded

-by a team of loyal supporters.

0:32:130:32:16

-John Trefor,

-the Archbishop of St Asaph.

0:32:170:32:19

-John Byford,

-the Archbishop of Bangor...

0:32:190:32:22

-..and also Gruffydd Young,

-a formidable chancellor.

0:32:230:32:26

-It was their job to create

-an independent Welsh state.

0:32:270:32:30

-The castle was very useful

-for Glyndwr in a military context...

0:32:380:32:43

-..as was the association

-with the Mabinogion...

0:32:430:32:46

-..and ancient Welsh legends too.

0:32:470:32:49

-Harlech is an ancient site.

-It appears in the Four Branches.

0:32:510:32:56

-It stands in a prime location

-on top of a cliff.

0:32:560:32:59

-It's very symbolic.

0:33:000:33:02

-Once Glyndwr

-seized Harlech Castle...

0:33:020:33:05

-..he saw Harlech as a symbol

-of his new kingdom as a prince.

0:33:050:33:09

-As princes are meant to do,

-he lived in that castle.

0:33:090:33:13

-It was there that he announced

-his plans for his new kingdom.

0:33:130:33:17

-His vision was personal because it

-depended on him as an individual.

0:33:170:33:22

-It also affected the establishment.

0:33:220:33:25

-He specifically had a vision

-for the Church.

0:33:260:33:30

-He had a vision

-for education and universities.

0:33:300:33:34

-Having an imposing castle like that

-was central to his aspirations.

0:33:340:33:40

-He could welcome people

-from overseas.

0:33:400:33:43

-It was essential

-for creating connections overseas.

0:33:430:33:47

-If he'd met people...

0:33:470:33:49

-..in a hall in the country

-and feared going near the castle...

0:33:500:33:53

-..that was under English rule,

-then he wouldn't have been able...

0:33:540:33:58

-..to introduce himself

-as the Prince of Wales.

0:33:580:34:02

-But not everything

-worked in favour of the Welsh.

0:34:050:34:08

-If he was going to succeed...

0:34:100:34:13

-..Glyndwr

-had to regain Wales as a whole.

0:34:130:34:16

-The country

-was full of English castles.

0:34:170:34:20

-Castles like Carreg Cennen

-had lessons for the rebel.

0:34:200:34:24

-If you

-build a castle on top of a cliff...

0:34:260:34:28

-..you're creating

-a defensive fortification.

0:34:290:34:32

-This castle withstood a siege

-by Owain Glyndwr...

0:34:320:34:35

-..who came with a force of 800 men

-which lasted months.

0:34:350:34:39

-Although they managed

-to damage it...

0:34:390:34:42

-..they failed to seize the castle.

0:34:420:34:45

-He had to stay here a while.

0:34:450:34:48

-The sturdy walls of Carreg Cennen

-thwarted Glyndwr's plans...

0:34:480:34:52

-..for the rest of his kingdom.

0:34:520:34:54

-Not that things

-were any better in other areas.

0:34:550:34:58

-Caernarfon Castle stood against him.

0:34:580:35:02

-Many more castles

-fell back into English hands.

0:35:030:35:07

-The tide was turning

-against the Welsh.

0:35:070:35:10

-A talented young chieftain

-led the campaign against him.

0:35:100:35:14

-He also wanted the title

-of Prince of Wales.

0:35:150:35:19

-Henry of Monmouth...

0:35:210:35:23

-..who later became

-Henry V of England.

0:35:230:35:26

-Glyndwr and his main allies

-were surrounded in Harlech.

0:35:260:35:31

-The English came armed

-with an unfamiliar weapon.

0:35:340:35:38

-A powerful one at that.

0:35:380:35:40

-It's significant. It's the

-first time a gun was used in Wales.

0:35:420:35:46

-Henry, the Prince of Wales,

-brought a gun in from England...

0:35:460:35:51

-..as a set piece for the siege.

0:35:510:35:53

-He set tongues wagging.

0:35:540:35:57

-It shows how Glyndwr succeeded...

0:35:590:36:02

-..in angering the

-English authorities so much...

0:36:020:36:06

-..that they spent all this money

-to make this public display.

0:36:060:36:10

-"We're going to recapture

-this castle."

0:36:100:36:13

-Losing these castles was something

-no-one had initially foreseen.

0:36:160:36:22

-The revolt had failed.

0:36:220:36:25

-Glyndwr escaped, though history

-records little more of him.

0:36:250:36:31

-.

0:36:330:36:33

-Subtitles

0:36:350:36:35

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

0:36:350:36:37

-Harlech, 1468.

0:36:390:36:42

-60 years

-after Glyndwr's rebellion...

0:36:420:36:45

-..the castle

-is under siege once again.

0:36:450:36:48

-This time, the fate

-of the English crown is at stake.

0:36:480:36:52

-There was fierce fighting between

-the Houses of York and Lancaster.

0:36:550:36:59

-The Wars of the Roses.

0:36:590:37:01

-In their battle against the Yorkist

-King Henry IV...

0:37:020:37:05

-..the Lancastrians

-established Harlech...

0:37:050:37:08

-..as one of their main bastions

-in the fight against him.

0:37:090:37:13

-It's rumoured that this

-provided the inspiration...

0:37:140:37:18

-..for the famous song,

-Men of Harlech.

0:37:190:37:21

-The Tudors

-were in charge of defence.

0:37:240:37:26

-They were assisted by soldiers

-who sailed to their aid from France.

0:37:260:37:31

-The king had to mobilise an army

-10,000 strong to seize the castle.

0:37:310:37:37

-But it was the Tudors

-who seized the crown in the end.

0:37:450:37:49

-Less than 20 years later...

0:37:510:37:53

-..Henry Tudor would be sailing back

-from France under the Welsh banner.

0:37:530:37:58

-The Welsh

-had a tradition of prophesy.

0:38:010:38:03

-The idea of a Prophetic Son.

0:38:040:38:07

-A man who would come, a hero...

0:38:070:38:09

-..who'd lead Wales

-to independence once again.

0:38:100:38:13

-Having landed in Pembrokeshire,

-Henry Tudor's knights...

0:38:150:38:19

-..scoured the country...

0:38:190:38:21

-..to form armies

-to fight for the Son of Prophesy.

0:38:210:38:25

-After the Battle of Bosworth...

0:38:310:38:33

-..after the success of Henry VII...

0:38:330:38:36

-..poets acknowledged

-that the prophesy had come true.

0:38:370:38:41

-The English crown was now worn by a

-Welshman, born in a Welsh castle...

0:38:450:38:49

-..with the support of the Welsh.

0:38:500:38:52

-The Tudors

-brought stability and peace...

0:38:580:39:02

-..to England.

0:39:030:39:05

-There was no need to develop

-the castle's might further.

0:39:050:39:09

-It was left in peace

-for close to two centuries.

0:39:090:39:12

-But in the 1640s,

-all that changed again.

0:39:140:39:19

-The English Civil War.

0:39:230:39:26

-A bloody struggle

-between Crown and Parliament.

0:39:260:39:30

-On the one side, King Charles I.

0:39:300:39:33

-On the other, Oliver Cromwell.

0:39:330:39:35

-After two centuries of peace...

0:39:380:39:40

-..the British castle was unprepared.

0:39:400:39:43

-On the continent...

0:39:430:39:45

-..with the development

-of destructive artillery power...

0:39:460:39:50

-..they erected mounds of earth

-in front of the castles as defences.

0:39:500:39:55

-But for castles like Raglan

-here in Wales...

0:39:560:40:00

-..there was

-an unforeseen blow to come.

0:40:000:40:03

-In order

-to appreciate the outcome...

0:40:030:40:05

-..one must go back in time...

0:40:050:40:07

-..to trace the history

-of these splendid structures.

0:40:080:40:12

-This is the most substantial castle

-a Welshman has ever built.

0:40:120:40:17

-Though we're close to the

-English border in Monmouthshire...

0:40:170:40:21

-..Raglan Castle was very important

-to Welsh culture...

0:40:220:40:26

-..and the Welsh language.

0:40:260:40:28

-It was the capital for

-Welsh-speaking natives, if you like.

0:40:290:40:33

-It was the centre

-of Welsh aristocratic culture.

0:40:330:40:37

-Poets came from Merionethshire,

-Caernarvonshire and the south...

0:40:370:40:42

-..to Raglan Castle.

0:40:420:40:44

-All these facets came together.

0:40:440:40:47

-Language, wealth

-and political connections.

0:40:470:40:50

-There's no doubt that it was the

-epicentre of the Welsh heartland...

0:40:500:40:55

-..in the 1460s.

0:40:550:40:57

-It was built

-by Sir William Herbert...

0:40:580:41:02

-..the Duke of Pembroke.

0:41:020:41:04

-He was

-an influential figure in London.

0:41:040:41:07

-He was the first Welsh nobleman...

0:41:070:41:10

-..to join the Peerage of England.

0:41:100:41:13

-The era's changed...

0:41:150:41:17

-..and there are

-new noblemen and aristocrats.

0:41:170:41:20

-People flocked here

-to enjoy the Earl's hospitality.

0:41:210:41:24

-It's a warm welcome.

0:41:250:41:27

-Everyone loves feasting

-late into the night...

0:41:270:41:31

-..and sampling

-an endless supply of fine wines.

0:41:310:41:35

-William Herbert's

-new-found wealth...

0:41:360:41:40

-..was derived from the profitable

-overseas wine trade.

0:41:400:41:44

-The fruit of the Rhine and Rhone...

0:41:440:41:46

-..flowed through the cellars

-of Raglan Castle.

0:41:460:41:49

-One poet refers to Raglan as

-the vineyard of the Welsh language.

0:41:490:41:54

-That is to say,

-Raglan is the nation's vineyard.

0:41:540:41:57

-It was a place of pleasure...

0:41:580:42:02

-..with wine,

-hospitality and culture.

0:42:020:42:04

-It was also

-a centre of Welsh culture.

0:42:050:42:09

-William Herbert

-was regarded as the leader...

0:42:090:42:12

-..who brought kudos

-back to the Welsh as a nation.

0:42:120:42:17

-More poems are attributed

-to William Herbert...

0:42:170:42:21

-..than any other during that era.

0:42:210:42:23

-It was the golden age of the cywydd

-and medieval literature.

0:42:230:42:27

-And this palace...

0:42:290:42:31

-..was a Welsh-speaking palace,

-which is often forgotten.

0:42:320:42:36

-Who would've thought? A Welsh

-palace so close to the border?

0:42:370:42:41

-If time travel was possible...

0:42:450:42:47

-..any Welsh author

-would love to come back here...

0:42:480:42:51

-..to share

-William Herbert's hospitality.

0:42:520:42:55

-But two centuries later...

0:42:580:43:01

-..what kind of welcome

-did the castle give...

0:43:020:43:05

-..to the Roundheads of the 1640s?

0:43:050:43:09

-At the root of the English Civil War

-was a clash of ideas...

0:43:090:43:13

-..and philosophy between the

-Royalists and the Parliamentarians.

0:43:130:43:18

-There were Welsh on both sides

-who were willing to fight...

0:43:180:43:22

-..for their principles.

0:43:220:43:25

-But on the front line,

-it was a fierce and merciless war.

0:43:300:43:34

-The Parliamentarian army defeated

-the Royalists on the battlefield.

0:43:380:43:43

-By the time they reached Raglan...

0:43:490:43:52

-..they'd already won the war,

-to all intents and purposes.

0:43:520:43:56

-Henry Somerset,

-William Herbert's heir...

0:43:570:44:00

-..held on to the castle

-for the king.

0:44:000:44:03

-Almost all the other

-royal strongholds...

0:44:030:44:06

-..fell into the hands

-of the Parliamentarians.

0:44:070:44:10

-Somerset knew he was standing alone.

0:44:110:44:15

-The Parliamentarian army

-arrived with its artillery.

0:44:170:44:21

-A cannon with a name.

0:44:230:44:26

-Roaring Meg.

0:44:260:44:28

-Raglan's resistance crumbled

-under cannon fire.

0:44:310:44:35

-When this tower was attacked...

0:44:350:44:38

-..an entire chapter in

-the castle's history was demolished.

0:44:380:44:43

-William Herbert

-built Raglan as a palace.

0:44:460:44:50

-Two centuries had passed since then.

0:44:510:44:53

-Now, artillery power

-had increased to such a degree...

0:44:560:45:00

-..it was no longer possible

-to be a home and a fortress.

0:45:000:45:04

-The castle's evolution

-spanned the centuries.

0:45:150:45:19

-The square Norman keep.

0:45:200:45:23

-Richard the Lionheart's

-rows of rounded towers.

0:45:260:45:29

-Walls within walls in Caerphilly.

0:45:320:45:35

-And the active defence system

-in Carcassonne.

0:45:390:45:43

-Throughout its history, the castle's

-architects endeavoured...

0:45:450:45:50

-..to ensure the defence

-was stronger than the attack.

0:45:500:45:55

-Faced with extreme threat...

0:45:560:45:58

-..they devised structures

-which confronted the enemy...

0:45:580:46:02

-..and exposed them

-to deadly peril at every turn.

0:46:030:46:06

-The outcome?

0:46:090:46:10

-Splendid bastions which aided

-many of our history's greats.

0:46:110:46:15

-In the end, the castle

-had to bow to the inevitable...

0:46:210:46:25

-..in the cannon age.

0:46:250:46:27

-By standing so prominently

-in our landscape today...

0:46:290:46:33

-..every castle is a monument to

-the inventive, brave and diligent...

0:46:340:46:38

-..of yesteryear.

0:46:380:46:41

-The golden era of the castle

-may be over...

0:46:410:46:44

-..as a defensive

-and military structure...

0:46:450:46:48

-..but one thing's for sure.

0:46:480:46:50

-The castle has survived war, siege,

-onslaught and time itself.

0:46:500:46:57

-In the final episode of Y Castell...

0:47:010:47:04

-..we'll explore some of Europe's

-most beautiful palaces...

0:47:040:47:09

-..to see the kind of life they led

-and their style.

0:47:090:47:12

-The castle was a public platform...

0:47:130:47:16

-..for ceremony and feast.

0:47:160:47:18

-But it also had to be decorated

-as a private residence...

0:47:200:47:24

-..for the nobility...

0:47:250:47:26

-..and later,

-for the nouveau riche...

0:47:270:47:30

-..who wanted a luxurious life

-every day and night.

0:47:300:47:33

-Why then,

-in our more democratic era...

0:47:340:47:39

-..does the castle still capture the

-imagination of the entire family...

0:47:400:47:44

-..including my own?

0:47:440:47:46

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:48:130:48:15

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0:48:160:48:16

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