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the medieval castle Essay

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the medieval castle

What is a castle?
A castle is a properly fortified military residence.

Why were castles built?
Initially, they were designed and built to hold down conquered territory. They also served to intimidate and strike fear into the local peoples, were places of refuge, and places for the lords to live. They were also impressive symbols of the power and wealth of their owners.

How castles came to exist in Europe?
Castles were brought to England by William the Conqueror, when he invaded England from his homeland in France. Known as the Duke of Normandy, William invaded England in 1066 and, due to his victory in the Battle of Hastings, William was crowned the King of …show more content…

Many of the people who lived in Britain before it was conquered did not like being controlled by the king's barons, and wanted to keep control of their own lands themselves. But that was not possible, because William and later kings (and queens) demanded they pay homage. Therefore, castles were built to establish the power of the king and his followers, and to keep the people from regaining control of their own lands. These first knights and barons, followers of William the Conqueror, were known as the
Normans, and were a very powerful lot. They built castles almost everywhere in Britain, hundreds of which still survive. Stone castles were built for stability and to symbolize the power of the lords of the kingdom. Even if the king did not order a particular castle to be built for his use, he still retained the ability to seize any of his lords' castles if they displeased him or if the king had a special reason to want to use it.

What features made stone castles stable and able to withstand battle?
* The walls were very thick, anywhere between 8 and 20 feet in thickness, so they could withstand bombings or battering from a battering ram, or another seige machine like a catapult.
* Originally, towers were simple square-shapes, easy to build but also easy to topple down. One of the smartest ways that a tower was pulled down was a method known as undermining. An enemy's soldiers would dig a tunnel under one corner of a tower, prop it up with wood, and

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