<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 could
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 could be
driven away by a relief force or until the attacker was forced to fall back 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 outer
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 original
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
towers. Defenders on top of the walls could shoot down or throw objects down
against attackers. Attackers wholly exposed in the open and shooting up were at a
great disadvantage against defenders largely protected and shooting down. The
strength 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 and 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 face,
allowing defenders in a tower to shoot along the face. From a corner tower,
defenders could shoot along two different wall faces. A gate might be protected by
towers on each side. Some castles began as simple towers and evolved into a greater
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. Gaps were
built into the upper wall so defenders could shoot out or fight while partially
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 from
the top of the walls or from towers. These allowed defenders to shoot directly down
on enemies below the walls, or drop stones or boiling liquids on them, while being
protected. Hides on top of the hourds were kept wet to prevent fire. Stone versions
of hourds, called machicolations, might be built over gates or other key points.

<i>Ditches, Moats, and Drawbridges<i>

To accentuate the height advantage of the walls, a ditch might be dug at their
base, completely around the castle. Where possible, this ditch was filled with
water to form a moat. Both ditches and moats made direct assaults against walls
more difficult. Armored men risked drowning if they fell into even relatively
shallow 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
cases, 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 go up
against the wall.

Drawbridges across a moat or ditch allowed the castle occupants to come and go when
necessary. In time of danger, the drawbridge was raised, reestablishing the ditch
and sealing the walls. Bridges were raised by a mechanism within the castle that
was protected from the attackers.

<i>Portcullis<i>

A portcullis was a strong grating that slid down the walls of the castle gate
passageway to block the entrance. The gate of a castle was inside a gatehouse,
which 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
portcullises, in the middle or at the ends. The winding mechanism that raised the
portcullis was in the top of the gatehouse and heavily guarded. The portcullis
itself 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 open
area called the barbican. This was surrounded by walls and designed to be a trap
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 door.
Under threat of an assault, a much larger force was needed to defend a castle.

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 fighting
power of the attackers. Heavy losses from missile fire could cause the attackers to
break off.

If the attackers managed to actually close for hand-to-hand fighting, a strong

fighting 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 aggressive
defense looked for opportunities to sortie out from the castle and raid the
besieging army. A quick raid that burned a siege tower or trebuchet under
construction delayed an assault and lowered the morale of the attackers.

In times of emergency, local peasants were enlisted to help with the defense.
Although untrained as soldiers and not skilled usually with the bow or sword, they
could help with many of the other tasks.