Superfortress Gaillard: Richard the Lionheart's most dangerous weapon

The English King Richard I "Lionheart" (1157–1199) is one of the great heroes of the Middle Ages.

He fought numerous battles, many of which he won, embarked on a crusade and made his way home in an adventurous way, as he was led by Emperor Henry VI.

was imprisoned at Trifels Castle in the Palatinate.

But Richard was also a cool strategist and calculator who not only relied on his sword, but also used the most modern techniques beyond all knightly norms. The most famous example is the Château Gaillard in Normandy, which he built out of the ground within two years and which is considered to be the most advanced fortress of the European High Middle Ages.