Knight Life #5: A Castle in the Background

Medieval History

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A Castle in the Background

Though a knight might journey far and wide, camping by battlefield and tourney grounds, the castle, be it his own or his liege-lord's, was always his home.

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.

As a home, workplace, or military target, the castle was an inextricable part of the daily life of a knight.

Sources and Recommended Reading

The link below will take you to mySimon, where you can compare prices at booksellers across the web. More in-depth info about the book may be found by clicking on to the book's page at one of the online merchants.

Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph and Frances Gies.

Check out Issue #6 of Knight Life: The Castle through the Ages.
Go to the Knight Life Table of Contents
Visit your Guide's picks for the Top 7 Books about Knights and the Top 6 Castle Books.

This is Issue #5 of Knight Life.

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