Why didn t armies just go around castles?
Later castles were designed as strategic reserves. Everything valuable (people, crops, animals, chattel, etc.) were withdrawn within the castle. That means that the attacker can’t just go around the castle, the attacker has to go around the entire cultivated area—because the defender has laid waste to the territory.
Why were castles so difficult to attack?
Tall thick curtain walls surrounded the castle buildings like a strong shield. There were few doors in the wall thus limiting access to the castle. Towers built as part of the curtain wall. Castles with curtain walls with flanking towers were more difficult to capture.
Why did attacking castles often end in sieges?
Sieges were expensive to maintain, and attacking armies were often keen to avoid drawn-out hostilities if possible. However, even within the same conflict, different castles were offered very different terms of surrender.
What is the best way to attack a castle?
A good way of attacking a stone castle was through mining. Attackers would dig a tunnel underground up to the castle walls, under the gatehouse if possible. They would then set a charge and make an explosion which would make the walls crumble and collapse.
Why do people not live in castles anymore?
By the 1600s, people didn’t want to live in cold and damp castles anymore. Kings, queens and noble men wanted to show off how important and rich they were so they built palaces and great houses. Many existing castles were replaced with much grander homes.
Why did people stop using castles?
After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.
What weapon could destroy castles?
A siege engine is a weapon used to destroy fortifications such as defensive walls, castles, bunkers and fortified gates.
What is the most attacked castle in the world?
Edinburgh Castle
Speaking of canons, it is important to note that Edinburgh Castle is one of the most attacked places in the world. In other words, battles were waged, walls were destroyed, and the castle changed hands repeatedly throughout the course of 26 documented sieges over 1,100 years.
How did attackers try to break into castles?
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How did invading armies go about attacking a castle?
There are a number of ways of assaulting a castle: over the top of the walls using towers or ladders, under the walls using a mine, or through the walls using a battering ram, pickaxes or other tools.
What did soldiers do in castles?
THE SOLDIERS
Castles were no use without soldiers to defend them. In peacetime, a small castle might have a garrison of only a dozen soldiers or even fewer. This was just enough to open the gate, operate the portcullis and drawbridge and patrol the walls against stray robbers who tried to break in.
What was the purpose of castles in war?
They were designed to be difficult to attack and easy to defend. Castles protected owners from rivals and invaders; however, castles were also used to protect the local citizens. Early castles were built in the 9th and 10th centuries and were constructed of earth and wood; usually constructed on higher ground.
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