Segorbe Castle was an Arabian alcázar (palace or castle). Very little remains of the original alcázar, but the large complex was a residence of lords, dukes and kings for over a millennium.
.After the Muslim king of Valencia, Zayd Abu Zayd, converted to Christianity and declared himself an ally and vassal of King James I of Aragon, he ceded the fortress to James in 1229 and became governor general of Valencia on his behalf. The castle became a sanctuary for Zayd Abu Zayd himself when he was killed by Dynamil Zayyan until James captured the castle in 1245, and placed Abu Zayd in command of an army to assist in the retaking of Valencia.
The castle had a peak in the 14th and 15th centuries, culminating in the holding of General Courts by King Martin of Aragon, who had made the city his residence.
In 1784, urban expansion of Segorbe beyond the original medieval fortifications required further construction, and new walls were built. After the works were completed, the new walls had eight gates.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.