Royal Supply Chains: an Analysis of Historic Transportation Methods

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, literature and films often portray castles as grand homes to royal families with balls, armies of knights, fatal battles, and occasional mythical dragons. Even though several of these elements were a reality for medieval citizens, a lot of today’s media fails to demonstrate the actual intent for the construction of the extravagant fortresses. To give a more complete picture of these structures, the goals of this honors project were: 1. To research medieval castles and learn about each one’s construction, history, supply chain, and role in the economy. 2. To make connections between supply methods used in the Middle Ages to those used frequently by today’s supply chain professionals. 3. To write a well-organized, thorough report sharing research findings. In focusing on three 11th- and 13th-century structures ordered by Central European Archbishops, this comparison discusses ever-evolving supply chain concepts, including facility placement, last-mile logistics, and international trade. Additionally, this report discusses the historical importance of Austria’s Burg Hohenwerfen, Festung Hohensalzburg, and Burg Mauterndorf to Central Europe while considering both the relevance and influence of each construction to the modern supply chain.