The Middle Ages are an amazing time. Yes, you make a strange face when you read this sentence, as we have many negative ideas about the Middle Ages. Both over time as a whole and over certain very specific elements, such as the castles! Let’s give the battlements and dungeons back their true history.
In the Middle Ages only castles were fortified
It would have been a pity for the protection of small villages without castles! Fortified churches and monasteries dot the medieval countryside, allowing villagers to lock themselves in in the event of an attack. In any case, we are fortifying a lot during this period, as we are even fortifying bridges and mills! In short, the castles really weren’t the only ones to have solid walls.
It was inhabited only by nobles
Rely on the ideas of our Disney childhood: no, the castles were not only populated by the prince, the princess and the terrible stepmother or by knights. In the conquered area, the fortified castles served as garrisons to imprison the soldiers.
Castles housed many men
In the movies, the villains are attacking the castle and hundreds of soldiers are shooting at the castle from everywhere to protect it. In reality, the castles were often almost empty when no battle seemed imminent. For example, according to research by historian Alain Kersuzan, the castles between Lyon and Geneva were often populated by two soldiers and a lookout point. Well, at least they had space.
The interior of the castles was gloomy
Even if it wasn’t Versailles, the castles weren’t as dark and cold as our imaginations lead us to believe. There were many windows that let in the light: they were simply not placed on the side of the ditch to avoid slamming shut when a head was passed in the morning. At night, lights installed everywhere took control. As for heat, there were open hearths or ceramic stoves to heat the rooms. In terms of comfort, we have latrines, sometimes bathtubs, small stone benches under the windows, and we eat pretty well. In short, not so terrible!
There was only one castle per city
As we said above, some had none at all. And vice versa, others had several for the same city! According to the archaeologist Christian Rémy, “an average of four to five castle complexes per municipality is not exaggerated”.
The fortified castles disappeared at the end of the Middle Ages
If it is true that palaces flourished in the Renaissance, that does not mean that fortified castles were completely replaced! The nobility continued to expand their residences with moats, drawbridges, battlements or small loopholes. These are not fully fortified castles, but some of their main features have been preserved.
Castles always have round towers
When we think of a castle, we immediately imagine a large rectangle enclosed between two round towers. While it is true that the builders favored them primarily for their “military advantages”, the fact remains that many castles proudly boast square towers! This is particularly the case in southern France. Moreover, it was originally even rectangular or square towers that formed the majority in the European landscape.
They were only built for war
While defense is indeed one of the main selling points of these structures, some castles were simply used to show off, spending your money to establish your power and prestige. Slightly toxic behavior, but we have a lot of billionaires collecting private jets, so nothing surprises me anymore. Otherwise, these places could also serve as administrative centers, places of residence or places of refuge in case of conflict.
Around each of them was a moat filled with water
Back then, opening a tap was not enough to get water. In fact, finding a stable food source to keep the moats full was as easy as slicing up a sweet potato with a paper clip. Depending on the geographical location of the fortress, it was all the more boring. In short, not all of them had a moat for this simple reason.
All had drawbridges
Well no! Several factors were considered for owning a drawbridge: the size of the building, the presence of moats or ditches, the chosen defense system, and the funds used in its construction. It all depended on the architectural style, the defensive needs of the castle and the preferences of the builder.