SIEGE!! Introduction Castles were primarily structures of war and were built in strife ridden lands. Thus, it was almost inevitable that they would come under attack. Because castles were made with such massive defense fortifications, it was extremely hard to destroy them. Thus, the goal of a siege army was not to destroy a castle, but to penetrate it. However, this task was also extremely hard. Sieges often lasted for months and could even last for years! Castles were protected by at least two walls, and often a moat. The defender's only hope was that either a friendly army would come to help them, or that they could somehow defeat the attackers by themselves. Demoralization The most effective offensive weapon was hunger and demoralization. Besieging forces would attempt to completely surround a castle and cut it off from the outside world. No supplies were allowed in or messages sent out. The situation often got very grim inside the castle. Even though large quantities of supplies were stored inside, they sometimes ran out. Then the defenders were forced to eat anything they could get their hands on. This included rats, grass, dogs, and anything else semi-edible. Essentially, the offending army would attempt to starve and discourage the defenders to the point of surrender. There were many tactics used to accomplish this. They did anything they could to decrease the enemy's morale. Because the defenders depended on reinforcements or a direct attack by allies from another castle, the attacking army almost always embarked on a campaign of misinformation. They would shout that the besieged army's allies were defeated. This was just another way of demoralizing the castle garrison that was cut off from the outside world. Offending armies would hurl insults and jeer at the enemy. They would throw dead animal and human body parts into the castle to spread disease and demoralize the defenders. In fact, the bubonic plague was originally spread by a besieging army. The offending army in this case used catapult machinery to launch dead bodies into a besieged town. This spread the bubonic plague which eventually killed one third of Europe. This was one of the earliest cases of biological warfare. Besiegers also often destroyed almost all crops and buildings for miles around the castle. They pillaged freely stealing animals and valuables. Harassment and the Trick Harassment was another way by which the attackers could break down the castle's defenses. Its effect was both psychological and physical. Many defenders were killed which lowered the number of men available to fight. Additionally, the other men inside the castle soon grew tired of seeing their fellow men in arms dying at their sides. The besieging army kept a constant stream of fire upon the castle and men manning its walls. They set up movable shields, essentially fences on wheels, that archers and crossbowmen could hide behind. The only problem with harassment is that it applied both ways: Attackers could easily become as harried as those defending. Attackers also often tried to trick the castle defenders to gain admittance to the castle. For example, the besieging army could take their weapons and march out of sight. Then, they could wait a couple days and send several soldiers disguised as peasants to the castle. These soldiers could then knife the castle guards in secret and open the main gate. The enemy army could then enter the gate and take the castle. Tactics for the Defense of the Castle Walls The defenders maintained their stronghold through various means. The only thing they could really do was react to the actions of the attackers. They sat tight and waited for the besieging army to leave or for help to arrive. They constantly maintained a steady fire of rocks, torches, arrows, oil, and boiling water on the attackers at the wall. Archers were positioned all over the battlement and the towers to help with this. By maintaining this constant barrage of missiles, they could make the attackers grow weary of fighting. They could also take a more active part in the defense. Occasionally, a detachment of troops was issued from the castle. This troops wood often force small skirmishes with the enemy. The garrison in the castle also did many things to prepare for the siege. Once word was sent of an impending siege, food was scavenged from the surrounding area. By increasing the food supply, they could sometimes hold out for as long at a year. Tactics for the Penetration of the Wall Psychological warfare was not the only warfare employed in a siege, however. Fighting was going on constantly among the two forces. The besieging army used a number of methods to gain access to the areas beyond the walls of the castle. Tunneling One of the methods that they might have used involved tunneling. In the middle of the night, workers would erect wooden palisades, a type of fence, next to the wall. They would also sometimes build a shed. They would then cover these with leather hides that helped to keep them from catching on fire. These fortifications helped to protect the men inside from the constant barrage of fire from above. Additionally, archers hurried in and around the tunnel entrance to help guard it and fire at defenders above. The archers were somewhat safe behind moveable screen erected to guard them. After sufficient defenses were set up, special diggers called sappers would dig a tunnel underneath the castle's walls. As they were digging they would support the tunnel with wooden beams. These men had to be on their guard, however. Defenders often tried to dump hot oil and boiling water down into the tunnel and onto the other soldiers' heads. Once the tunnel was long enough, the attackers had two choices: Continue digging until they broke into the castle courtyard or set the tunnel on fire. Setting the tunnel on fire would cause the surrounding earth to collapse into the tunnel, possibly knocking the castle wall down. To set the wall on fire, attackers would pile dry brush, leaves, wood, and occasionally pigs in the tunnel. They would then light it on fire and hope that it would weaken the wall to the point of buckling. If they chose to continue tunneling until they reached the inside of the castle, there were many risks as well. Defenders would place bottles of water around the castle. If they saw tremors in the water in certain places regularly, then they knew someone was digging there. The defenders could then dig a counter-tunnel to intercept the tunnel the attackers were creating. Then the defenders would engage the enemy below the castle walls and foundation. Siege Towers In addition to tunneling, besiegers often created a siege tower. It was a large structure built to the height of the castle wall. Ladders led up to a room at the top of it. The front and top of the siege tower was covered with leather hides to prevent defenders from catching it on fire. It was built well away from the wall and then rolled next to it during the night. It was positioned next to a wooden hoarding built by the defenders. Then the attack would begin. Defensive and offensive archers would both keep up a constant stream of fire on each other as soldiers attempted to cross over onto the castle wall. Sometimes, enough attackers would be able to enter the wall and take the nearest towers. Other times, they would be routed and the tower would be set ablaze. The Battering Ram The battering ram was another way of getting through a castle wall. During the night a shed was erected quickly next to the gate, or a weak point in the wall. The shed was also covered with fireproof leather. If a moat was there, it was filled most of the way with dirt, rocks, and logs. Then, a large tree trunk was hung from the shed's ceiling by chains. It was sometimes capped with iron. Teams of soldiers then rocked the trunk back and forth, knocking against the wall. This could eventually cause a weakness in the wall, possibly tumbling it. However, defenders once again kept a steady stream of fire on the shed and the men around it. Burning objects were thrown down on top of the shed in an attempt to catch it on fire. Siege Engines Siege engines were also often constructed to help attack the walls and the buildings inside. Catapults, ballista’s, and trebuchets are examples of these. Siege engines were machines, and as machines, they could be powered in many different ways. Catapults and ballista’s used the tension power in rope and wood. They were bent and twisted like giant rubber bands. The resulting tension, if suddenly released, could allow the operators to hurl large objects. Catapults were generally used to launch rocks or incendiaries high into the air, over the castle walls. Rocks were aimed at the walls, while the incendiaries were aimed at the wooden buildings within. Catapults could also be used to launch dead bodies or body parts inside the castle walls. Ballista’s were like giant crossbows and shot large arrows. They were antipersonnel weapons. They could be aimed at a group of enemies. Sometimes defenders also had ballista’s because they didn't take much room and could be placed on a castle tower. Trebuchets were powered by men pulling on one side of a swiveling beam. They pulled on a rope connected to the short end of the beam.