Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
What was the best way to attack/defend a castle (Castles were meant to be…
What was the best way to attack/defend a castle
Castles were meant to be defensive forts.
They had moats
Drawbridges
Holes in the towers for archers to snipe from
Burning oil or water
Even steel gates
The steel gates were spiked as well making them dangerous.
They were built on higher lands like hills so attackers projectiles lost power as they went up due to gravity.
Often attackers would then go through a passage filled with murder holes to drop substances onto the attackers this was called a babrican.
Neither side wanted a prolonged siege.
For attackers morale would be lost and some knights would leave due to the feudal levy.
For defenders they'd run out of resources
Though castles were usually built on top of springs or wells.
There were always multiple ways to successfully draw out a siege.
They could use siege weapons such as trebuchets.
They could just cut off all ways for the defenders to get fresh water or food.
They could just straight up attack and hope for the best.
They could mine under the castles to try weaken it.
From siege engines castle walls could fall off.
They could scale up the castle walls.
Successful negotiations.
With a trade agreement.
Maybe that the defenders evacuated immediately.
Or they'd take a deal of money or whatever they agreed to.
Knights in England were under the feudal levy which meant they only served for 40 days before going back to their owner which may be a bishop but not the king.