| You are here: | About>Education>Medieval History |
 | Medieval History |
The medieval castle was a private fortress, inhabited by a nobleman of some standing along with his family, servants, and retainers. It was a community unto itself; everything necessary for daily living was made within its massive walls or grown (or hunted) in the surrounding land. Traveling journeymen could usually count on a night's sleep and a free meal at a castle, and minstrels traveled from one castle to another in the course of their work. It is quite true that the castle did not originate in the middle ages. Fortified palaces were used by the royalty of Egypt long after their military purpose became unnecessary. Mycenaean Greek chieftains lived in fortress homes, as well. And it would be difficult indeed to catalog the number of walled cities and defensive strongholds that have been built throughout history. But the medieval castle had a special place in medieval times.
Like the knight himself, the mighty castle of the middle ages owes its existence to the uncertain situation of western Europe. After the fall of the Roman empire, civilized areas came under frequent attack by marauding tribes of fierce warriors, from the Magyars to the Vikings to the Mongols. People banded together for mutual protection, and powerful lords built fortresses to keep their families and servants safe from harm. The kings of expanding European nations didn't always have the strength to maintain a centralized government; it was much more efficient to delegate a certain amount of power to loyal noblemen who controlled the castles in the farthest reaches of the kingdom. This delegation of power was not always wisely placed. Possession of a castle and armed retainers could make a lord strong enough to thwart the king's will, and this some noblemen did. It was also not unknown for an individual of wealth and power to build a castle without the permission of his liege. Such a structure was known as an adulterine castle. But
whether the castle was part of the king's holdings or
belonged to a renegade knight, it was the center around
which the knight's life revolved. He ate there, slept there,
and worked there when he was not away fighting, at which
time he might be besieging his enemy's castle. Even if he
had his own lands to worry about, the knight could
frequently be found at his liege-lord's home, standing guard
duty, preparing for excursions, practicing weapon skills
with his fellow knights, or awaiting his lord's command on
any number of errands.
|
|
|
 |
To print this article, try this printer-friendly version. If this page reloads, please click the link again. |
 |
Do you know other students or history buffs who would enjoy this feature? Why not share this URL with them? |
More at the Medieval History Site
Site
Map
FAQs
Quizzes
Reviews
Daily
Features
More about the Knightly Newsletter
All Topics | Email Article | |  |  |
| Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | SiteMap | Reprints | Help | Our Story | Be a Guide |
| User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | ©2008 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. |