Castles

A detailed Summary of Castles

The word castle comes from a Latin word meaning fortress. A castle is a large, fortified residence of nobles in feudal times, sited to dominate the surrounding countryside.(James, Castles and Mansions. p.4) A castle has many distinct characteristics in its shape of building. A castle was the home and fortress of a monarch or noble. Castles became important in Western Europe in the late A.D. 900's and the 1000's. They played a central role in the political and military system called feudalism. (Nardo, The Medieval Castle. p.7) In the Middle Ages, Europe was divided into many small states, and local conflicts were common. A castle helped the king or vassal defend the land where the castle stood. It also provided a home for the monarch or noble's family and servants. In addition, a castle served as a barracks, prison, storehouse, armory, treasure house, and center of local government. Before the 1100's, most castles were made of timber and earth. A majority of them had a natural or artificially created hill called a motte. A tower called a keep or donjon often stood on the flat top of the motte. The keep, typically made of wood, was the castle's best-protected building and served as its last defense. In some cases, the castle holder'

During feudal times in Europe, monarchs and nobles depended on castles to provide safety and defense for themselves, their families, and their lands. Strong castles were very difficult to capture. The huge walls and the well-protected entrance withstood most first attacks. A siege might be more successful. In a siege, enemy forces repeatedly attacked a castle while cutting off all food, water, and help from outside. But it could take months to starve out a castle's defenders, and few attackers could mount and maintain a long siege. (Nardo, The Medieval Castle. p.15) Castles also helped feudal lords maintain their rule over the lands around the castle. A monarch or noble could control a river crossing, mountain pass, or sea harbor by building a castle there. When a king wished to spread his power to new lands, he often built castles there to help control the new territory. (Vaughan, Castles. p.21) The castle served as a center for local government. Peasants who farmed the land around the castle became tenants of the noble who lived in the castle. The peasants paid rents and performed services that helped support the castle. The noble protected the peasants during wartime. The lord of a castle held a court of law to settle disputes among the peasants. (Francis, MSN search. p.3)

If the Evil Bane Clan surprise attacked my castle there would be many things to do. The drawbridge would be brought up and the archers and swordsman would be called to attack. The archer's would go to the towers and turrets t

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Category: History