Warfare In Medieval Siege Warfare

Towards the end of the Middle Ages in around 1100, a period of castle-building and sieges emerged in Medieval Europe. This formed a new type of warfare called Siege Warfare. This way of fighting featured gigantic, heavily-defended castles and armies of men with multiple weapons in an attempt to siege a castle. A castle is a large, medieval fortress that housed lords, a King and Queen, Knights and other groups of people. Thousands of castles were built in places throughout Europe, such as Italy, Germany and England. Due to the significance of the people inside, lords needed to build the strongest defense possible to keep everyone safe. This led to many innovations in architecture and weaponry during the time of Siege Warfare. A typical, ancient castle in the Middle Ages may look like a colossal building from a distance but if an army attacks, beneath it lies a series of harsh surprises. Castles used a wide variety of defending techniques through their architecture, weaponry, and location. It was ideal for a castle to be located on top of a hill, because it was more difficult for enemies to access. On the outside of a castle, thick walls added a sturdy layer of protection. Some castles built walls that were eight feet thick, while others had even thicker walls. Featured in these walls were tiny holes called arrow loops, which allowed castle inhabitants to fire arrows and other weapons outside the castle. The walls were not the outer-most layer of most …show more content…
This type of warfare occurred during the Hundred Years War, which lasted from 1337-1453 and was fought by England and France. Siege warfare was a major part of life from 1100 - 1500's, and it even spread into the later centuries after the Middle Ages. In conclusion, many different weapons and strategies were used in sieging and defending a castle in the Middle