How and why did castles change over time?

How and why did castles change over time?

During the 12th century many castles were improved and strengthened by using stone as the ain building material. The wooden defences of motte and bailey castles were replaced by walls and towers of stone. Stone castles replaced the motte and bailey castles but the stone castles also changed over time.

Why were castles so important in castle defense?

Medieval castles were built to be as defensive as possible. Every element of their architecture was designed to make sure that the castle was as strong as it could be, and could hold out against sieges – which could sometimes last months.

How did castles change over the medieval period?

Many of the original timber castles were replaced with stone castles. Over time, stone castles were built in different architectural styles as builders experimented with castle-building techniques. In their infancy, castles were primarily military fortifications used to defend conquered territories from attack.

What were the main causes for the end of castles?

After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.

What did castles used for defenses?

The top of the castle walls were the battlements, a protective, tooth shaped parapet often with a wall walk behind it for the soldiers to stand on. The defenders could fire missiles through gaps (crenels). The raised sections between, called merlons, helped to shelter the defenders during an enemy attack.

Why would your castle provide good defense during a siege?

Aside from slowing down attackers and prolonging a siege, staged defences often allowed the different layers to support each other: for example, concentric castles typically had inner walls that were higher than the outer walls, allowing archers or crossbowmen on both walls to engage attacking besiegers simultaneously.

What were the Defences of a castle?

What was the castle keep and what was its purpose?

A medieval castle keep was a kind of fortified tower that had central importance in the defence of the castle. It also served the purpose of imprisoning political prisoners since it was considered one of the most impenetrable castle parts.

Why did castle designs change over time?

Fundamentally, these changing designs were due to the changes in the purpose and significance of castles. The first castles, built in the Early Middle Ages (early Medieval period), were ‘earthworks’ – mounds of earth primarily built for defence, as enemies struggled to climb them.

What are the different elements of castle defences?

Here are the different elements of castle defences which rendered some fortresses truly impregnable. The concentric walls of Caerphilly Castle, Wales, would have been an incredible defensive advantage. The ‘curtain wall’ was the vast stone wall which wrapped around the outside of a castle.

How were castles built in medieval times?

The first castles were simply ‘mounds’ of earth, and medieval castle designs improved on these basics – adding ditches in the Motte & Bailey design. As technology advanced – and as attackers got more sophisticated – elaborate concentric castle designs emerged, creating a fortress almost impregnable to its enemies.

Why did they put a shell keep on top of castles?

Because castle designers were concerned that a heavy shell may cause the hill to subside, the stone walls that wrapped the castle were relatively small in size and encircled only the top of the Motte. As you might imagine, the word shell keep only refers to the stone wall around the keep on top of the motte.