![]() ![]() This shows how they used tactical manoeuvring back then rather than full on fighting. The troops dug under the wall while using the bridge as camouflage penetrating the defences so that the knights plus men surrendered to the French king, so the castle was invaded. Water surrounded the third circle with a bridge overhead. ![]() This led into the chapel within the castles second circle. ![]() Philips troops effectively tunnelled under the first wooden circles, while finding a way into the castle through an unguarded toilet outlet. King Philip of France attacked the castle laying siege in 1203 while eventually taking the castle over in 1204. Built on the banks of The Seine it had two outer wooden circles with a stone inner circle giving it a strong defence structure. ![]() Castle Gaillard was built by Richard The Lionheart in 1198 being typical of a castle built during the crusades, while its remains can still be seen today. This is one of the most famous castle sieges of the middle ages. Historically there have been many well known sieges. Battering rams were also used to try to break in as well as catapults that would pelt all manner of hideous objects into the fortress. All kinds of tactics were applied to try to outwit the castle dwellers, such as deception by disguising themselves as innocent farmers and such to persuade defenders to lower the drawbridge. Outside the castle the attackers almost always destroyed surrounding areas by setting fire to land so destroying crops and animals essential to life. They would throw severed limbs over the ramparts to hopefully spread disease inside the castle or spread rumours of impending doom to demoralise further. Tactics used by the attackers would make life intolerable for the castle inhabitants. The inhabitants defending the castles would resort to eating anything to survive including cats or rats. Most sieges were resolved by cutting off supplies to the castle so that inhabitants would eventually run out of food and water while in some cases they would starve to death if there was to be an attitude of “no surrender”. This made it difficult for enemy armies to break through hence the time scale of sieges. Many castle sieges happened during The Middle Ages when castles were built with such impenetrable fortification that getting over the moat and into the structure was nigh on impossible.Ĭastles were built with invasion in mind so often had two surrounding walls plus in most cases a moat. Castle sieges were very long drawn out affairs that could last for months or even years as a siege was not a short simple procedure but a tactical strategic operation that took planning and determination. Nothing could be further from the truth than this. We tend to have a romanticized view of what actually happened in these battles as heroes and heroines in full make up destroy the enemy to save the day. Many movies have been made that involve castle sieges. ![]()
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