Castellanies

A castellany is the territorial jurisdiction governed by a castellan, the official in charge of a castle and its surrounding lands in medieval feudal society. The term denotes both the fortress and the accompanying area that supported its maintenance, defense, and administration. Castellanies functioned as local centers of power, combining military, administrative, and judicial duties under the authority of a lord or monarch.

Origins of castellanies arose in the feudal and Norman spheres, where castles were political and military hubs. The boundaries of a castellany were typically defined by the lands that provided labor, taxes, and resources to sustain the castle, and the castellan held responsibilities for fortifications, droit de justice, and enforcing the ruler’s commands within the area. The castellan acted as the local governor, presiding over courts, collecting revenues, and coordinating defense and public works.

In practice, castellanies often overlapped with other feudal units such as lordships, manors, or counties. In Iberia, for example, the term castellanía (or castellania) was used to describe the jurisdiction of a castle and its domain, sometimes with substantial autonomous authority under a king or noble. In the British Isles, castellanies are mentioned more rarely in contemporary sources, but the concept similarly described the castle-centered administration of a territory.

The system declined as centralized state administrations and new forms of territorial organization emerged, with many castellanies being reorganized into counties, baronies, or other jurisdictions. Today, the term is mainly of historical interest in studies of medieval administration and feudal governance.