Synopsis:

During the early 13th century the north of what is now France went to war with the south in a bloody crusade aimed at destroying the heretical sect know as the Cathars.  The conflict was characterized by vicious guerrilla actions and the besieging of the innumerable fortified sites that dotted the landscaped of the south.  Illustrated with full colour artwork and stunning photographs, this book describes the castle and the fortifications of the Cathar period, examining their design, construction and the role that they played during the Albigensian Crusade.

Review:

The book gives a concise  overview of the political and religious history of the time and how the tensions led to the Albigensian Crusade.  It then moves on to the Castles as featured in the title.  The book details the design and development of the fortifications along with the history of the sites and where they were located. The book goes into further detail describing the sites when they were at war and what happened afterwards.

The final chapter provides information on ‘visiting the sites today’, it gives brief details of the major sites, their opening times and where to find out more information about them.

The book has many photographs and  illustrations in both colour and monochrome which enrich the text.

I found the book informative and concise.  It left me wanting to find out more about the fortifications that played such a big part in the Albigensian Crusade.