<b>Castle Defense<b>

The basic principal of castle defense was to maximize the danger and exposure of
any attackers while minimizing the same for defenders. A well-designed castle c
ould be defended effectively by a small force and hold out for a long period. A
stout defense allowed well-supplied defenders to hold out until the besiegers co
uld be driven away by a relief force or until the attacker was forced to fall ba
ck by lack of supplies, disease, or losses.
<i>Keep<i>
The keep was a small castle often found within a large castle complex. This was
a fortified building that often served as the castle lord's residence. If the ou
ter walls fell, the defenders could withdraw into the keep for a final defense.
In the case of many castles, the complex began with the keep, which was the orig
inal fortification on the site. Over time, the complex might have been expanded
to include an outer wall and towers as a first line of defense for the keep.
<i>Walls<i>
Stone walls were fireproof and protection against arrows and other missiles. An
enemy could not climb sheer walls without equipment such as ladders or siege tow
ers. Defenders on top of the walls could shoot down or throw objects down agains
t attackers. Attackers wholly exposed in the open and shooting up were at a grea
t disadvantage against defenders largely protected and shooting down. The streng
th and protection value of castle walls was increased where possible by building
on cliffs or other elevations. Gates and doors in castle walls were minimized a
nd given heavy protection.
<i>Towers<i>
At the corners of and perhaps at intervals along a long wall, towers were placed
as strong points. Towers extended out beyond the vertical plane of the wall fac
e, allowing defenders in a tower to shoot along the face. From a corner tower, d
efenders could shoot along two different wall faces. A gate might be protected b
y towers on each side. Some castles began as simple towers and evolved into a gr
eater complex of walls, an inner keep, and additional towers.
<i>Battlements<i>
Walls and towers were often improved to provide greater protection for defenders
. A platform behind the top of the wall allowed defenders to stand and fight. Ga
ps were built into the upper wall so defenders could shoot out or fight while pa
rtially covered. These gaps might have wooden shutters for additional protection
. Thin firing slits might be placed in the upper walls from which archers could
shoot while almost completely protected.
During an assault, covered wooden platforms (called hourds) were extended out fr
om the top of the walls or from towers. These allowed defenders to shoot directl
y down on enemies below the walls, or drop stones or boiling liquids on them, wh
ile being protected. Hides on top of the hourds were kept wet to prevent fire. S
tone versions of hourds, called machicolations, might be built over gates or oth
er key points.
<i>Ditches, Moats, and Drawbridges<i>
To accentuate the height advantage of the walls, a ditch might be dug at their b
ase, completely around the castle. Where possible, this ditch was filled with wa
ter to form a moat. Both ditches and moats made direct assaults against walls mo
re difficult. Armored men risked drowning if they fell into even relatively shal
low water. Moats made undermining a castle's walls difficult because of the risk
of the mine collapsing during construction and drowning the miners. In some cas
es, attackers had to first drain the moat before moving forward with an assault.
Then the ditch had to be filled in places to allow siege towers or ladders to g
o up against the wall.
Drawbridges across a moat or ditch allowed the castle occupants to come and go w
hen necessary. In time of danger, the drawbridge was raised, reestablishing the
ditch and sealing the walls. Bridges were raised by a mechanism within the castl
e that was protected from the attackers.
<i>Portcullis<i>
A portcullis was a strong grating that slid down the walls of the castle gate pa
ssageway to block the entrance. The gate of a castle was inside a gatehouse, whi
ch was a strong point in the castle defense. The passageway of the gate might be
through a tunnel in the gatehouse. The tunnel was blocked by one or more portcu
llises, in the middle or at the ends. The winding mechanism that raised the port
cullis was in the top of the gatehouse and heavily guarded. The portcullis itsel
f was usually a grating of heavy timbers or iron. Defenders and attackers could
both shoot or stab through the grating.
<i>Barbican<i>
A strong castle had both an outer gate and inner gate. Between the two was an op
en area called the barbican. This was surrounded by walls and designed to be a t
rap for any attackers who got through the outside gate. Once inside the barbican
, attackers could only go back out the outer gate or fight their way through the
inner gate. In the meantime they would be targets for arrows and other missiles
in the open.
<i>Defenders<i>
A relatively small number of men could guard a castle in peacetime. At night any
drawbridge was raised and the portcullis was lowered, effectively locking the d
oor. Under threat of an assault, a much larger force was needed to defend a cast
le.
Competent archers and crossbowmen were needed to shoot from the walls and towers
at attackers making an assault or just preparing for one by attempting to drain
the moat or fill the ditch. Each attacking casualty lowered the morale and figh
ting power of the attackers. Heavy losses from missile fire could cause the atta
ckers to break off.
If the attackers managed to actually close for hand-to-hand fighting, a strong f
ighting force of swordsmen was needed to hold them off. Men were needed to throw
down rocks or pour hot liquids from the hourds. Men were needed to make repairs
to damaged wall sections or put out fires started by flaming missiles. An aggre
ssive defense looked for opportunities to sortie out from the castle and raid th
e besieging army. A quick raid that burned a siege tower or trebuchet under cons
truction delayed an assault and lowered the morale of the attackers.
In times of emergency, local peasants were enlisted to help with the defense. Al
though untrained as soldiers and not skilled usually with the bow or sword, they
could help with many of the other tasks.