Castle+by+AllenS-CMS

= **__Castles__** =

When most people think of castles, they think of knights in shining armor constantly fighting alongside their king in a desperate struggle for power. Although fighting was common, castles were the homes of nobles, their family, servants, and even some townspeople. During medieval times, castles were a very important part of their lifestyle. =**__Purpose of Castles__**= The purpose of castles was for kings to rule over the land even when they were nowhere near the area. Land was given to nobles in exchange for the noble giving military support to the king and preventing revolts. After receiving land, the noble would build a castle to assert their power over the nearby town.

Another huge purpose of castles was to protect the town it ruled over. Whenever the town was attacked the noble and his knights would defend the town and castle with their lives. Whenever attacked, the residents of the castle would stay inside the inner ward for protection.

During the 1000’s, castles started being used for feudalism. Feudalism was an economic and political system of medieval Europe in which vassals were given land and protection by their lords in return for military service or the performance of their duties (The Harcourt Brace School Dictionary 270). During the 1100’s, when stone castles became more common, they were built on hills for defensive purposes due to frequent attacks. Some castles even had a moat dug around them with a turning or retracting drawbridge so that enemies could not reach the castle walls. = **__Castle Construction__** = During the late 900’s and early 1000’s, when castles first started appearing, they were first constructed from timber and earth and were used as barracks, prison, storehouse, armory, treasure house, and the center of local government. They also served as homes for nobles, their families, and their servants (“Castle.” __World Book.__ 2005).” Later, during the 1100’s, stone castles became more prominent and in the 1200’s, towers became a common addition. Finally, during the late 1600’s, castles were not constructed as frequently and were used less and less for military purposes and more as homes. No matter how rich the noble, he or she had to receive permission from the king to begin construction on this ten to twenty year project.

Although looks were much of what the owner wanted from his or her castle, the defensive layout was also very important. Castles’ layouts had to be very carefully thought out so that the residents could survive a siege and defend the castle. The walls of a castle were often set up as “a series of progressively smaller yet stronger defensive rings, one inside of the other” (Macaulay, David. Castle.). Castles most common openings were windows and arrow loops, so “for security reasons the windows near the bottom of walls and towers were very narrow and larger at the top (Macaulay, David. Castle.).” The inner most part of the castle, the inner ward, was often protected by a tall wall called the inner wall. The inner wall’s purpose was to defend the interior of the castle from any projectiles while under attack. Along the outer edge of the inner wall were battlements. Battlements served as extra protection for solders while fighting off the enemy. Towers were mostly placed along walls and corners and were connected by the inner curtain. Towers were designed epically for lords and nobles chambers and the chambers of their family and the surveillance of the area surrounding the castle. A castle’s towers were also important because they would house offices, a dungeon, and possibly a chapel.

The wall outside of the inner wall, the outer wall, was protected by a shorter wall slanted toward the outside of the castle. The slant made almost all projectiles that hit it bounce back at the enemies who had fired it. To protect from the possibility of a siege, wells were often built inside the inner ward so that the enemy could not poison the water. Finally, the weakest part of the castle, the gatehouse, was built last and between two towers so that a heavy timber grille could be lowered and block the entrance. = **__Life in Medieval Castles__** = Life in a castle began at daybreak. Servants rose from their pallets in the attics and cellars to light the fires in the kitchen and great hall. The night watch was relieved by knights and men-at-arms along the walls and in the towers.

The lord and lady of a castle lived very luxurious lives. They each wore fine clothes made of some of the best material in bright blues, yellows, crimsons, purples, and greens. The bottom layers of their clothes were linen undergarments, followed by a long sleeve tunic that would fit over the head and was fastened at the neck with a brooch. After putting on their tunic, the lord and lady would put a sleeveless or wide sleeved second coat over that. The final addition to their outfit was a mantle made from an almost circular piece of material. The mantle was lined with fur and was fastened at the neck with another brooch or a chain.

After getting dressed, the residents of the castle would go to the chapel and afterward eat breakfast on bread and drink wine or ale. Afterward, if the castle had guests the lord and lady would spend the day with amusements. If there were no guests to entertain, the morning was spent in routine tasks. The lord would hold conferences with stewards and bailiffs, and the lady of the castle would work on embroidery or other household tasks. During this time, the knights and squires practiced fencing while the children did lessons under tutors. After their lessons were done, the girls would play with dolls while the boys would practice with bows and arrows. Also during this time, all the inhabitants of the castle would go along doing their business such as blacksmiths, cooking, or tending to a stable. =**__Conclusion__**= Castles played important roles in the lives of almost everyone during medieval times. Castles were a marvel of construction, but later became obsolete after the invention of gunpowder. Gunpowder was able to blow holes in the walls of castles, therefore making castles obsolete as tools of conquest. This invention ultimately played a role in ending the age of the reign of castles.

= __**Works Cited**__ = "Castle." 2005. 3. Print. Reid, Struan. //Castles//. New York: Quarto Children's Books, 1996. Print. "Castle." //Wikipedia//. 2011. Web. . "Castle Features." //History Learning Site//. N.p., 22 March 2011. Web. 7 Apr 2011. . "Castle Features." //History Learning Site//. N.p., 22 March 2011. Web. 7 Apr 2011. . "Feudalism." The Harcourt Brace School Dictionary. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1972. Print Maccaulay, David. //Castle//. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1977. Print.