Medieval Castle Research Paper
Castles are commonly mentioned in fairy tales and horror stories, but real castles were very common during a time period known as the Middle Ages. “The castle was far more than a walled and turreted fortress; it was an instrument of social control and the symbol of power, authority, and wealth” (Stokstad xxvii). During the Medieval Ages, the main purpose of the castle was to protect the citizens of a particular kingdom. These huge fortresses played major roles in the society of the Medieval Ages, along with their magnificent architecture, castle are still popular today.
A medieval kingdom commonly included a large castle, to house the royal family, knights, and servants, and a city with merchants, houses, and a church. The city was usually …show more content…
bordered by the castle wall. “The outer wall, or curtain wall, was the castles first line of defense”(Craughwell). The medieval time is known for being violent and full of war. Some kingdoms walls were almost 20 feet thick.
The walls where defiantly not the weak spot of the castle.
The weakest point was most likely the entrance in to the city, also refereed to as the gatehouse. To make the gatehouse more secure it was reinforced with a heavy, strong, doors. To help make sure nobody could attack the gatehouse many times there was a water-filled moat to create and obstacle to the doors. There was an area known as the bailey which was located inside the gate which was a guarded courtyard.
Inside the castle doors there was another reinforcement known as the keep. “The keep was traditionally the strongest and the most fortified part of a castle- and, in early Medieval times, its where the nobles would have to live”(Morris). It was not until later that nobles began to live in comfier residents in a grand hall type building.
The castles also consisted of other features including stables, elaborate dining halls ,and kitchens. One stereotypical feature that many people take interest in are the dungeons. Though most castles did not have dungeons some of the later constructed castles did have a holing place to hold criminals and enemies. The keep was mostly used to hold criminals. The dungeon in fact was no always located underground, the very first prisons were located in the
towers.(Morris)
The towers of the castle were not purely for decoration, they where similar to today’s sniper points. They made great watch point and good places to shoot at enemies who intended to attack the castle (Morris). Many towers around the city served as residents of knights who during there time to watch would just have to go to the top and watch.
The White House today plays some of the same roles that the castle played hundreds of years ago. Power in a medieval kingdom was “spread among great tennates-in-cheif in a system of delegated government, castles in each territory were places where local lords collected taxes, settled disputes, and administered justice.(Stokstod 43)” Which is essentially what are government does today.
The first castles started out very simple and with many upgrades the reached the final product that we still see remains of today. “The castle started as a simple wooden structure on top of a mound surrounded by a ditch”(Rooprarine). Weapons began to evolve at a quickened pace making the need for stronger, more protective castles a necessity. They were upgraded till the point where the most successfully way attack and conquer a castle would be to “carefully initiate a surprise assault” (Cornell). The upgrades continued until “gunpowder was used in projectiles. Castles where no longer necessary”(Roopraine). People no longer needed such reinforced residents and castle soon became obsolete.
Many castles that were built to withstand a war were able to successfully fight many wars with weather, natural disasters, and vandalism, those lucky, historic castles have become very popular tourist attractions. One of the most famous medieval castles still standing is the Alnwick Castle which is still located in Northumberland,England. The Alnwick Castle was, in history, home of the Duke of Northumberland. This famous castle has been used in many films that are very popular today. One film that many people recognize is Harry Potter. The Alnwick castle was “used as a stand in for the exterior and interior of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films”(Mcdonald).
Castles are huge fortresses of great strength. They were able to withstand wars during there time and some were able to stand to this day. They were a symbol of great power and control. Castles where a major part of medieval history. These protective structures successfully did there job for many centuries.
Works Cited
Cornell, David. “A Kingdom Cleared of Castles: Role of the Castle in the Campaigns of Robert Bruce.” Scottish Historical Review 87.2 (2008):233-257. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.
Craughwell, Thomas. “Medieval Castle Facts.” Demand Media. 2010. web. 8 Oct, 2013.
McDonald, James. “Castles and Manor Houses.” Castles and Manor Houses Inc, 11 April, 2012. web. 8 Oct, 2013.
Morris,Ed. “Medival Castles Layout: The Different Rooms and Areas of a Typical Castle.”n.p. n.d.Web. 8 Oct, 2013
Rooprarine, Amelia. “Castles in the Middle Ages,”6.n.p. 1993.web. 8 Oct, 2013.
Stokstod, Marilyn. “Medieval Castles.” Westport, CT:Greenwood, 2005. print.
A medieval kingdom commonly included a large castle, to house the royal family, knights, and servants, and a city with merchants, houses, and a church. The city was usually …show more content…
bordered by the castle wall. “The outer wall, or curtain wall, was the castles first line of defense”(Craughwell). The medieval time is known for being violent and full of war. Some kingdoms walls were almost 20 feet thick.
The walls where defiantly not the weak spot of the castle.
The weakest point was most likely the entrance in to the city, also refereed to as the gatehouse. To make the gatehouse more secure it was reinforced with a heavy, strong, doors. To help make sure nobody could attack the gatehouse many times there was a water-filled moat to create and obstacle to the doors. There was an area known as the bailey which was located inside the gate which was a guarded courtyard.
Inside the castle doors there was another reinforcement known as the keep. “The keep was traditionally the strongest and the most fortified part of a castle- and, in early Medieval times, its where the nobles would have to live”(Morris). It was not until later that nobles began to live in comfier residents in a grand hall type building.
The castles also consisted of other features including stables, elaborate dining halls ,and kitchens. One stereotypical feature that many people take interest in are the dungeons. Though most castles did not have dungeons some of the later constructed castles did have a holing place to hold criminals and enemies. The keep was mostly used to hold criminals. The dungeon in fact was no always located underground, the very first prisons were located in the
towers.(Morris)
The towers of the castle were not purely for decoration, they where similar to today’s sniper points. They made great watch point and good places to shoot at enemies who intended to attack the castle (Morris). Many towers around the city served as residents of knights who during there time to watch would just have to go to the top and watch.
The White House today plays some of the same roles that the castle played hundreds of years ago. Power in a medieval kingdom was “spread among great tennates-in-cheif in a system of delegated government, castles in each territory were places where local lords collected taxes, settled disputes, and administered justice.(Stokstod 43)” Which is essentially what are government does today.
The first castles started out very simple and with many upgrades the reached the final product that we still see remains of today. “The castle started as a simple wooden structure on top of a mound surrounded by a ditch”(Rooprarine). Weapons began to evolve at a quickened pace making the need for stronger, more protective castles a necessity. They were upgraded till the point where the most successfully way attack and conquer a castle would be to “carefully initiate a surprise assault” (Cornell). The upgrades continued until “gunpowder was used in projectiles. Castles where no longer necessary”(Roopraine). People no longer needed such reinforced residents and castle soon became obsolete.
Many castles that were built to withstand a war were able to successfully fight many wars with weather, natural disasters, and vandalism, those lucky, historic castles have become very popular tourist attractions. One of the most famous medieval castles still standing is the Alnwick Castle which is still located in Northumberland,England. The Alnwick Castle was, in history, home of the Duke of Northumberland. This famous castle has been used in many films that are very popular today. One film that many people recognize is Harry Potter. The Alnwick castle was “used as a stand in for the exterior and interior of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films”(Mcdonald).
Castles are huge fortresses of great strength. They were able to withstand wars during there time and some were able to stand to this day. They were a symbol of great power and control. Castles where a major part of medieval history. These protective structures successfully did there job for many centuries.
Works Cited
Cornell, David. “A Kingdom Cleared of Castles: Role of the Castle in the Campaigns of Robert Bruce.” Scottish Historical Review 87.2 (2008):233-257. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8 Oct. 2013.
Craughwell, Thomas. “Medieval Castle Facts.” Demand Media. 2010. web. 8 Oct, 2013.
McDonald, James. “Castles and Manor Houses.” Castles and Manor Houses Inc, 11 April, 2012. web. 8 Oct, 2013.
Morris,Ed. “Medival Castles Layout: The Different Rooms and Areas of a Typical Castle.”n.p. n.d.Web. 8 Oct, 2013
Rooprarine, Amelia. “Castles in the Middle Ages,”6.n.p. 1993.web. 8 Oct, 2013.
Stokstod, Marilyn. “Medieval Castles.” Westport, CT:Greenwood, 2005. print.