Who built the Pfalzgrafenstein castle in Germany?
The Pfalzgrafenstein castle in Germany was built by King Ludwig of Bavaria in 1326-27. This toll castle was built because of the dispute over the Rhine toll between the Pope and King Ludwig of Bavaria. The King, who belonged to the Wittelsbach family of Counts Palatine, had made some dangerous enemies by raising the toll in Kaub. Three times, Pope John XXII called upon the archbishops of Cologne, Treves, and Mainz to excommunicate Ludwig and take action against the Kaub toll, but his calls were ignored. Instead, King Ludwig ordered that a tower be built on the rocky island of Falkenau in the middle of the Rhine, a construction that would enable him to control the waterway on the right side of the river. Between approximately 1338 and 1342, a defensive wall was built around the tower. Check out this great site about German Castles. The pictures of the castle are amazing!
