Castle warfare was used by many armies in the Middle Ages, and it was a good way to defeat the enemy. Some aspects of castle warfare included crossbows, a new weapon that was easy to fight with. Castle warfare also included catapults, weapons that would launch things (like dead bodies) over castle walls. Castle Sieges were when one army attacked another armies' castle, and they often lasted weeks, even months! Armies that were quick to surrender often got treated better that armies who put up a long fight. Castle warfare was very interesting and cool, but what exactly is it? Keep reading to find out.

What Exactly is Castle Warfare?

Castle warfare was a type of warfare in the Middle Ages, and it was used by many armies. Castle warfare was when one army would try to take a castle, usually by destroying it. Castle warfare had all different types of weapons and strategies, including throwing dead bodies over the walls, hoping to start an epidemic. Castle sieges were the battles they fought, and they could last days, weeks, or months! Castle warfare was no joke, because of the extreme weapons they used. Here are a few!

weapons

There were many different weapons in castle warfare, but a very popular one was the crossbow. It was first invented in China, then found its way to Europe around 500 years later. At first the Pope banned it because he thought it was too violent for regular use. The Pope said it was illegal to use, except against Muslims. That didn't stop people from still using the crossbow, especially in castle warfare. Knights thought crossbows were horrid! The ability to shoot someone from far away without them knowing, how dishonorable! Regular soldiers used crossbows because they were easier then a sword to use, and if you had the time to get in a good position, you could get a good shot. Crossbows were used so much, eventually they weren't banned anymore, and everyone could use them.

Another weapon that was used in castle warfare were catapults. Catapults were used to fling things over castle walls, things like dead bodies, balls of fire, and other gross objects. There are many different types of catapults that were used in castle warfare. A Ballista catapults works and looks like a giant crossbow, and a Springald is similar. Another type of catapult is the Mangonel, which a bowl-shaped bucket and a giant launcher. The Onager was another type of Mangonel, but just a bit different. The last type of catapult was a Trebuchet, and it was massive! The Trebuchet had a huge lever and sling, and it could launch 200 pounds of rock up to 300 yards. Catapults were very useful and a good tool in castle warfare, and they were very popular and could launch many different things.

There were many other weapons in castle warfare, not just crossbows and catapults! Battering rams were used by ramming the weapon into the castle, in hopes of knocking it down. Fire was used on wooden castles, but it had little effect on stone castles. Soldiers chose a weak spot in the castle, and started digging a tunnel there to get inside. There were also ladders used to get over castle walls, and spears that were used in long-distance combat. Murder holes were also used, and they were used to pour hot oil over unsuspecting attackers. There were many weapons in castle warfare, and each played an important role.