It is debatable whether siege warfare became as important as it was due to the presence of the defensive monstrosities that were castles or if it was siege warfare that led to the advancement of castles, but siege warfare is a key focus regardless. When analyzing medieval warfare, some historians make the mistake of ignoring siege engines or warfare and instead choose to focus their inquiry on knights or horses . Knights on horseback had a minor impact on siege warfare, which was the leading form of combat. The medieval battleground consisted of not only the great walled cities, of which, for example, there were almost one hundred in Gaul alone, but also numerous castra, castella, and even less elaborate fortifications. Siege warfare in Europe focused on these fortified cities and other, less fortified, population centers. Bachrach argues that siege warfare is not focused on enough when examining medieval warfare. The majority of warfare during the Middle Ages was made up of siege warfare, and Bachrach says that historians instead choose to focus on minor components of medieval warfare such as knights on horseback and that in depth examination of siege warfare is necessary when historians are examining warfare during the Middle…
Tall stone walls, numerous holes located throughout the property, crumbling bricks, narrow hallways, small stairwells. These are just some of the features of the crumbling medieval castles that still stand today. Yet, only a few hundred years ago, these castles were the homes of the wealthy and a shield for the low-lights in society. The bigger and stronger the castle, the more wealth was shown, and the better protected the people of the village were. A successful medieval European castle would…
The Castel Medieval castles were built to be as defensive as possible. Every part of them was designed to make sure that the castle was as strong as it could be, and could hold out against sieges - which could sometimes last months. The Outer Curtain Wall The ‘curtain wall’ was a stone wall which wrapped around the outside of a castle. This wall was the main layer of defense, and it was very strong - for example, the curtain wall of Caerphilly Castle in Wales was more than 2 meters (that’s more…
and castles that date back to Medieval times scattered all over the beautiful countryside. Most of the castles found in Ireland were built using stone. Many of them date back to the 1100's. The Irish started building castles after the Normans invaded the country. There were castles built all over Ireland's beautiful countryside. Many of them now lie in ruins. There are others that have been restored. Many of the castles are open to the public. The Bunratty Castle was built in the 15th…
early as 300BC. The Traction Trebuchet required a large group people to pull on a heavy rope in order to launch the projectile. The trebuchet didn’t reach Europe till the early dark ages around 500 AD. during this time the trebuchet went through very significant changes, the most important of which being the replacement of the troop of men pulling on a rope in order to launch the projectile, with a large fixed counterbalance weight. Thought the fixed weight was a significant improvement from the…
The Tower of London has been many things over the years such as a fortress, a state prison, a zoo, an armory, repository for the crown jewels, a home for Tudor monarchs, and today a museum. Inside the tower walls has been the last sight for many of its prisoners. Although there were some prisoners that have escaped the tower walls and fled to neighboring countries. William the Conqueror invaded England in 1066 defeating Harold II. Duke William of Normandy built on to the existing castle in 1078.…
the most spectacular private castle of the decade. Bodiam is the kind of castle that most people imagine when they think what a medieval castle is supposed to look like, with its large stone walls and towers surrounded by moat looking very dramatic and highly defensive. Bodiam to this day remains very intact and is one of the most visually striking medieval England castles. The only time that Bodiam castle was under threat was during the Wars of Roses, when forces of Richard III were sent to…
Imagine walking through a town in the 1500s, and noticing a large tower with openings all around the base; this tower isn’t meant to keep enemies out, no it’s probably a blast furnace. This is tool invented back in the 1300s which we still use today. There are many things to note about the blast furnace such as what it is, how it works, it’s history, and it’s application. The medieval Blast Furnace could be described as a large tower. The Blast Furnace has many features that stand out such…
History The Tower of London started in the 11th century as a castle and palace. The tower was begun by William the Conqueror. Over the years the tower has seen changes and expansions. First, the prison was added in 1100. Secondly, ever since the 1600’s many Jewel have been stored in the tower. Third, exotic animals first made their appearance in 1255. Lastly, up until 1810 the royal mint was located at the tower. The Prison People who ended up in the tower were usually imprisoned there for…
Conwy castle is sited in North Wales on the coast and in the middle of the English border and on the west coast of wales. Life began in the town that become Conwy long before Conwy castle stood. Welsh settlers recognised the region as naturally strong abundance of food and the remains of a past fortification can still be found above the town of deganwy on the opposite bank of the river Conwy. This castle we call Conwy castle dominates the mouth of the river Conwy and the medieval walled town of…