167. CITY OF CARCASSONNE. PLAN (THIRTEENTH CENTURY)
The action of the East upon the West was manifested in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by the application to the fortification of Carcassonne and Aigues-Mortes of methods in use among the Crusaders in Syria.
This oriental influence is apparent at Carcassonne in the double enceinte borrowed from Syrian fortresses.
The city of Carcassonne stands upon a plateau commanding the valley of the Aude, the site of an ancient Roman castellum. In the sixth century it fell into the hands of the Visigoths, who fortified it. It increased considerably in extent during the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, but in the time of Simon de Montfort (1209) and of Raymon de Trancavel (1240) the enceinte was not nearly so important as it became under St. Louis. By the middle of the thirteenth century the king had begun the construction of defensive works on a vast scale, and built the outer enceinte, which still exists, as may be seen on the plan (Fig. 167) taken from Viollet-le-Duc's Cité de Carcassonne.
168. CITY OF CARCASSONNE. RAMPARTS. SOUTH-WEST ANGLE
The primary object of the enceinte was to secure the place against a sudden attack during the completion or enlargement of its interior defences. The additions of St. Louis, which were carried on by Philip the Bold, rendered Carcassonne impregnable in the general estimation. "As a fact, it was never invested, and did not open its gates to Edward the Black Prince till 1355, when all Languedoc had submitted to him."[61]
[61] Viollet-le-Duc, La Cité de Carcassonne.
