commercial and military importance. The raid of Edward, the Black Prince, in 1355 again
left the bourg destroyed; in 1384, complicity in the revolt of the Tuchins subjected the
burghers once more to crippling penalties.
Alan Friedlander
The city consists of a rectangular castle, 247 feet by 148 feet, and double curtain walls
separated by grassy lists; the outer ramparts (about 5,000 feet long) have some twenty
reinforcing towers or strongholds, and the inner ramparts (about 3,600 feet), twenty-five.
The so-called Palace of the Viscounts was actually built, according to Héliot, in the 13th
century by Simon de Montfort and especially Louis IX. Constructed of rough-worked
sandstone, it is surrounded on three sides by a deep moat and protected by nine towers.
Its main entry, between two half-round towers, is defended by a bridge and a semicircular
barbican. Within, in lieu of a central keep, is an open courtyard flanked by a high
watchtower. Construction on the walls was continued under Louis’s son Philip III, who
was responsible for several of the more remarkable towers, notably the Tour du Trésaur
and Tour de l’Inquisition. A number of the towers have their own well and could be
independently defended in the event other sections fell. The principal entry to the town,
the Porte de l’Aude, was defended by a series of barbicans and outer works; those
entering were required to approach first parallel to the line of defense, then perpendicular
to it, thus exposing themselves to fire from every angle.
In its present state, and in spite of major restorations by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th
century, Carcassonne is one of the finest examples of a medieval walled city. Its ramparts
and towers, with their crenellations, arrow loops, embrasures, potlug holes, hoarding,
walks, and battlements, provide an outstanding example of medieval military
architecture.
William W.Kibler
[See also: ALBIGENSIAN CRUSADE; LANGUEDOC; TRENCAVEL]
Finó, J.-F. Forteresses de la France médiévale: construction, attaque, défense. 3rd ed. Paris:
Picard, 1977.
Guilaine, Jean, and Daniel Fabre. Histoire de Carcassonne. Toulouse: Privat, 1984.
Hauréau, Barthélemi. Benard Délicieuxet l’Inquisition albigeoise (1300–1320). Paris: Hachette,
1877.
Héliot, Pierre. “L’âge du château de Carcassonne.” Annales du Midi 78(1966):7–21.
Mahul, Alphonse. Cartulaire et archives des communes de l’ancien diocèse et de l’arrondissement
administratif de Carcassonne. 7 vols. Paris: Didron, 1857–82.
Poux, Joseph. La cité de Carcassonne, histoire et description. 5 vols. Toulouse: Privat, 1922–38.
CARLOMAN
. Name of several Carolingian rulers. The first Frankish ruler to bear the name Carloman
was the eldest son of Charles Martel, mayor of the palace in the united Frankish
kingdom. After Charles’s death in 741, this Carloman became mayor of Austrasia, while
his brother, Pepin III, received the mayoralty of the kingdom of Neustria. Since the
Merovingian monarchs were then virtually powerless, the mayors were the most
important officials in the land. Carloman and Pepin cooperated to extend their authority,
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 322