This volume traces the origins of castles -- the fortified structures that were built by nobility in Europe and the Middle East, during the Middle Ages -- from Iron Age hill forts to feudal kingdoms through the Crusader era, post-Medieval, and into early modern times, when longbows, battering rams, and catapults were replaced by cannon and mortar. The author details all the key castle types, and includes examples from all over the world. This work features more than two hundred full-color photographs and provides close-up details and diagrams that illustrate the evolution of elements of the castle from dungeons to battlement.