Middle Ages Castles

The kings, knights and warlords who travelled to the crusades and who embarked on siege warfare in the Holy Land were influenced by the design and architecture of the fortresses in the far East. King Edward I of England used this information and knowledge to design and build the massive concentric castles in England. His policy enabled the conquest of Wales. Siege warfare, the development of medieval weapons demanded that a castle was built considering the possibilities of both attack and defence. The designs of the Middle Ages Castles therefore altered during the Medieval centuries when castle building was at its pinnacle.

The History, Development and Architecture of Middle Ages Castles
The history and development of Middle Ages Castles is fascinating. The history, development, architecture and building of these great fortresses changed as time progressed, influenced by important historical events such as the crusades and the technology of siege warfare.

Famous Middle Ages Castles
The famous Middle Ages Castles include the Tower of London, Warwick Castle, Leeds Castle, Windsor Castle, Caernarvon Castle and the Chateau Galliard.

Famous Castles of the Middle Ages

Life in Middle Ages Castles
Life in the castles of the Middle Ages was either hard work or very boring. Read about the daily life of a lord, a knight, the soldiers, the servants and the serfs who lived in the castles of the Middle Ages. How did the life in the Norman castles of the early Middle Ages differ from the massive concentric castles built by King Edward I (1239–1307)?

Middle Ages Castles built by the Normans
Until 1066 there were no castles. William the conqueror (King William I of England) introduced Norman castles to England when he defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. These Norman castles gave the Normans of 1066 power bases from which they could subjugate the English population. What is a Motte and Bailey Castle? When was the first Motte and Bailey Castle built? The Motte and Bailey Castles were first built in timber and then in Stone. Also read about the connection between the Motte and Bailey Castle and Feudalism.

Middle Ages Concentric Castles built by King Edward I
King Edward I ( Longshanks ) employed the services of the best architect and builder of the Medieval period who was called Master James of St George to build the concentric castles. Concentric castles were heavily defended. Defence features were added to concentric castles design including the Drawbridge, Barbican, Portcullis, Gatehouse, Moat, Crenellations and Murder Holes. Descriptions of the major parts of the Middle Ages castles and what they were used for are also described.