Medieval Castles were some of the most significant structures of the Middle Ages. A Medieval Castle was a fortified structure (usually out of stone) that was mainly for the nobility or royalty in European societies. While fortified structures existed for centuries, the classic Medieval Castle is considered to have first emerged in the 9th or 10th century. This is a highly debated topic among historians however by the 11th century there were many castles being built across Europe. At the time, Europe was divided among many different kingdoms which were often in conflict. As such, castles allowed for protection from attack. The history of Medieval Castles stretches from their origins in the early Middle Ages to their decline in the Renaissance.
WHAT WAS THE MIDDLE AGES?
The Middle Ages (or Medieval Period) lasted for approximately 1000 years from the 5th century to the 15th century. Due to its timeframe, the Middle Ages in Europe is divided into three smaller periods referred to as the Early, High and Late Middle Ages. Throughout this time period castles played an important political, social and military role in European society.
The Early Middle Ages began in the 5th century during the decline of the Roman Empire. Europe at the time was ruled by many different kingdoms and did not have large unified countries such as those in modern times. The Byzantine Empire (or Eastern Roman Empire) remained in the eastern sections of Europe and parts of the Middle East and was formed at the end of the 4th century, when the Western Roman Empire collapsed.
The High Middle Ages began at the start of the 11th century and included some of the most prominent events and elements of the whole Middle Ages. For example, life in the High Middles Ages was characterized by religious faith in the Catholic Church and the social structure of feudalism. Feudalism was a form of government common during medieval Europe that involved society being structured in a very rigid and hierarchical way. It was popular in European society from the 9th century until the 15th century and was the form of government in which the country was dominated by an absolute monarch, in which all power was held within a single king.
The final period the Middle Ages is called the Late Middle Ages and is considered to have occurred from the start of the 14th century to the end of the 15th century. The Late Middle Ages was a difficult time for most people in Europe and the surrounding areas. This is due to the spread of the bubonic plague that led to the events of the Black Death. The Black Death is one of the most important events in Western history and is the most famous pandemic in all of human history.
MEDIEVAL CASTLES – PURPOSE AND FUNCTION
Generally, historians believe that Medieval Castles were built as a defensive measure to protect noble lords and their families. They allowed a place for wealth and people to be held when under siege and as a means of creating a defensive line against an attack. However, castles also severed many more roles in European society. For example, historians have also argued that castles served an important offensive role in European conflicts. For instance, castles were often the site of weapons storage and made excellent centers for organizing and assembling armies. As such, they were often used as staging grounds for a future assault. Finally, castles also served as important symbols of power. Noble lords used them as residences and to symbolize their authority to local peasants or other nobility. Furthermore, larger castles helped noble lords gain favor and respect from the local peasants as they could seek refuge and safety in the castle during a conflict. This further helped the lord as it allowed him access to a loyal supply of people for his army. As a result, castles were important in feudalistic societies and helped to maintain the rigid hierarchy present in many societies of the time.
As well, Medieval Castles were important features of the Manor System (Manorialism) in Europe during the timeframe of the Middle Ages. For example, they served as the manor for the noble lord and functioned as the political and economic center of the manor in medieval society. Furthermore, Medieval Castles were symbols of feudal power. They represented the authority of kings, nobles, and knights over their land and people. In times of peace, they became acted as centers of medieval culture. For instance, castles were known to be where knights trained for battle, local artisans worked, and entertainers performed.
MEDIEVAL CASTLES – HISTORY
As mentioned previously, the history of Medieval Castles began after the fall of the Roman Empire around the 5th century CE. This was a difficult time for the people of Europe and gave rise to the Middle Ages. In fact, the Early Middle Ages was a time of constant wars, invasions, and local conflicts that ultimately created a need for security.
The first true Medieval Castles appeared approximately in the timeframe of the 9th and 10th centuries in France and England. This was during the time if the feudal system, when kings granted land to nobles in exchange for loyalty and military service. These nobles then built castles to protect their territories and to keep control over the surrounding lands. The earliest castles were known as ‘motte-and-bailey’ castles. These early castles were made of a wooden tower (the keep) built on a raised mound of earth called a motte, surrounded by a courtyard (bailey) that was enclosed by a wooden fence or palisade wall. While these early castles were relatively easy and quick to build, but they were also vulnerable to fire and decay.
By the 11th century, Medieval Castle design had dramatically changed. For instance, after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, William the Conqueror and his followers built hundreds of motte-and-bailey castles across the country to establish their control of the region. With that said, over time, the wooden structures were replaced with stone castles, which were stronger, more durable, and more resistant to attack. These stone keep castles, such as the Tower of London, featured thick stone walls, narrow windows for archers (arrow loopholes), and high towers that provided both defense and visibility. The keep was often the center of life in the castle, containing the great hall, living quarters, and storerooms.
During the High Middle Ages, castle architecture became even more advanced and impressive. In fact, builders began constructing castles multiple layers of walls. For instance, they would construct an outer wall for the first line of defense and an inner wall to protected the keep. This design made it much harder for enemies to attack the castle and make it inside the fortified walls. A famous examples of these types of Medieval Castles can be seen in the Caerphilly Castle in Wales.
The decline of Medieval Castles began in the late Middle Ages, around the 15th century. Advances in military technology, especially the development of gunpowder and cannons, made castle walls less effective against powerful artillery. Instead of relying on castles for defense, rulers began building more comfortable palaces and manor houses, focusing on luxury rather than military strength. Further to this idea, centralized governments and stronger monarchies reduced the need for fortified homes, as large standing armies replaced the private knights and lords of the feudal era. In fact, many castles were abandoned, destroyed in wars, or repurposed as administrative buildings, prisons, or ruins that have since become historical landmarks.
MEDIEVAL CASTLES – MAIN FEATURES
Early castles (or other fortified structures) were usually made out of wood. Constructing out of wood was cheaper than constructing out of stone but it had a few main problems. The main issue with wood construction was that fire posed a severe risk. As a result, people sought new ways to construct castles to make them stronger and better fortified. For instance, by the High Middle Ages, castles were generally constructed out of stone blocks. While wood was still used in some of the construction of the castle, the outer walls and central residence of the lord were usually made out of stone.
The location of the Medieval Castle was also incredibly important. Since castles were protecting both wealth and people they were often the site of warfare. As a result, constructing the castle in a location that was easier to defend was one of the first priorities of the builders. To do this, Medieval Castles were often built on hills, rocky outcrops and next to water. Building on higher land such as a hill or rocky outcrop allowed the castle the advantage of higher walls. This made it more difficult for an assaulting army to breach the walls of the castle but also allowed the lookouts in the castle the ability to see advancing armies from a greater distance. Building next to or near water allowed a natural protection. For example, if built on the side of a river or lake, the defenders of the castle could count on that side being more difficult for the assaulting army. As well, being built on a near a body of water allowed for easier transport to and from the castle. This is also why many European castles were constructed on already established roads.
MAIN FEATURES
Besides location, Medieval Castles were constructed with many different features. The following is a list and explanation of the main features found in most of the European castles at the time. Not all castles had every feature but, in general, they were important features that made up many castles.
- Arrows Loophole – Arrow loopholes (also sometimes called arrow slits) were narrow cut-outs in the castle walls which allowed archers to shoot arrows at assaulting armies. While they varied in shape and size through the Medieval period they were often in the shape of a cross, which allowed a defending archer the ability to better aim at his target.
- Bailey – Also called a ‘ward’, a bailey was the inside courtyard that was protected by the outer walls. It was usually attached to the main castle and the walls of the bailey were connected to the outer walls of the castle. A single castle could have several bailey’s. In general, the bailey was where homes of knights and other soldiers were located. As well, it sometimes contained the stables for the horses, workshops, and different types of storage.
- Bastion – A bastion (which can also be known as a bulwark) was a part of the curtain wall that protruded outwards. It allowed the defending forces in the castle the ability to shoot projectiles at advancing armies that tried to climb or smash the curtain walls of the castle.
- Battlements – Battlements are the structures at the top of a castle wall. The tooth-like structures that stick up on the battlements are called merlons. The battlements on the castle walls helped protect lookouts and archers at the top while they defended the castle against advancing armies.
- Curtain Wall – The curtain walls were the defensive walls that surrounded a bailey. These are the classic walls that people think of when they envision Medieval castles. They were the main type of defense for castles and as a result were often built very high and thick. For example, a curtain wall of a typical Medieval castle could be as high as 12 meters (39 feet) and as thick as 3 meters (10 feet). This helped prevent an assaulting army from using ladders to scale the wall and from siege weapons such as trebuchets or cannons from breaching the wall. The tops of curtain walls often contained battlements and walkways for the defending army.
- Drawbridge – The drawbridge was a wooden bridge that could be lowered or stretched out from the main castle entrance. It usually spanned over a moat or other type of defensive barrier. Because it could be lowered and lifted when needed it allowed better defences for the castle as it helped prevent a direct path to the castle walls and entrance.
- Gatehouse – The gatehouse was the main entrance of a castle. It generally included a small gate opening in-between two high towers that were connected to the curtain walls. This allowed the defending forced of the castle the ability to control who could enter and leave the castle. However, the gatehouse also usually included several different defensive features. For instance, the main gate of the gatehouse was a portcullis, which was a metal or wooden gate that could be lowered from above. As well, above the gatehouse was the ‘murder holes’. These were holes in the ceiling of the main gate passage which allowed the defending forces the ability to drop rocks or burning oil onto people trapped in the passage of the gatehouse.
- Great Hall – The great hall was the main room of a Medieval Castle. It was generally a meeting place that could hold many people at once and was the main dining quarters for the noble lord of the castle. It usually contained a large fireplace and was used for gatherings and special occasions.
- Keep – The keep was usually the largest and most well defended tower in the castle. During the Medieval period the keep was almost always referred to as the ‘donjon’. In general, it served as the residence of the noble lord who lived at the castle.
- Merlon – A merlon is the upright section common on the outer curtain walls of a castle. They are the teeth-like structures that go along the top of a wall’s exterior. This allowed archers on the upper walkway to shoot arrows through. Merlons were a major part of castle battlements.
- Moat – A moat was a defensive ditch that surrounded a castle. While usually depicted as being filled with water, moats were also sometimes dry ditches or had the ability to be dried and later filled with water. When filled with water, moats offered the castle protection in that the assaulting forces could not easily use ladders to scale the walls. As well, it prevented the use of siege weapons to directly smash or undermine the curtain walls of the castle. When dry, the moat offered protection in that it made the walls of the castle even higher and more difficult for the assaulting forces to overcome.
- Motte – A motte was a small hill that had a flat top. Motte’s were generally man-made and were excellent sites for building castles as they elevated the castle above the surrounding terrain.
- Palisade – A palisade is the term given to a defensive wall of a castle or other fortification. It is generally made out of wood in the form of large tree trunks that are lined up besides one another to form a high and strong wall. Palisades were used in fortified cities throughout history but were an easy and cheapo form of defense used in Medieval castles. They were usually constructed outside of the main curtain walls of the castle.
- Portcullis – A portcullis was a metal or wooden gate that could be lowered from above. It was an important feature of the gate house which was the entrance of the castle.
- Postern – A postern was a secondary or ‘back door’ of a castle. It was usually in a hidden location and allowed the residents of the castle to come and go without being noticed. As it was an entrance to the castle it was generally protected by a strong wooden or metal gate.
- Rampart – The ramparts of a castle were the walkway sections on the top of the outer walls. They allowed defenders to stand at the top of the wall and to move soldiers and supplies along the length of the wall as they defended against a siege.
