Medieval Life In A Castle

Medieval Castles - Discover the Magnificent History of Medieval Castles. Learn about Castles from the Middle Ages - See Motte & Bailey, Concentric and Norman Castles - Explore Castle Designs, Parts, Sieges. Castle History, Images, Books, Film, Facts and Information. Timeline of the 'life' of a castle. Download: Lesson pack. What was their purpose and significance?

From acclaimed historians Frances and Joseph Gies comes the reissue of this definitive classic on medieval castles, which was a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series.“Castles are crumbly and romantic. They still hint at an age more colorful and gallant than our own, but are often debunked by boring people who like to run on about drafts and grumble that the latrines did not work. Joseph and Frances Gies offer a book that helps set the record straight—and keeps the romance too.”—TimeA widely respected academic work and a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, Joseph and Frances Gies’s bestselling Life in a Medieval Castle remains a timeless work of popular medieval scholarship.Focusing on Chepstow, an English castle that survived the turbulent Middle Ages with a relative lack of violence, the book offers an exquisite portrait of what day-to-day life was actually like during the era, and of the key role the castle played. The Gieses take us through the full cycle of a medieval year, dictated by the rhythms of the harvest.

We learn what lords and serfs alike would have worn, eaten, and done for leisure, and of the outside threats the castle always hoped to keep at bay.For medieval buffs and anyone who wants to learn more about this fascinating era, Life in a Medieval Castle is as timely today as when it was first published.

Life in a Middle Ages Castle

Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - The Visitors
A visitor to a medieval castle crossed the drawbridge over the moat and approached the narrow doorway, which was protected by a tower on each side. If he was admitted, the iron grating ('portcullis') rose slowly on its creaking pulleys, the heavy, wooden doors swung open, and he found himself in the courtyard commanded by the great central tower ('keep'), where the lord and his family lived, especially in time of war. At the summit of the keep rose a platform from where the sentinel surveyed the country far and wide; below, two stories underground, lay the dungeon, dark, damp, and dirty. As the visitor walked about the court-yard, he came upon the Great hall, used as the lord's residence in time of peace, the armory, the chapel, the kitchens, and the stables. A spacious castle might contain all the buildings necessary for the support of the lord's servants and soldiers.

Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - The Residence
The medieval castle of the Middle Ages formed a good fortress, but a poor home. Its small rooms, lighted only by narrow windows, heated only by fireplaces, badly ventilated, and provided with little furniture, must have been indeed cheerless. Toward the close of the feudal period, when life became more luxurious, the castle began to look less like a dungeon. Windows were widened and provided with panes of painted glass, walls were hung with costly tapestries, and floors were covered with thick Oriental rugs obtained from travels to the crusades. The nobles became attached to their castle homes and often took their names from those of their estates.

Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - Entertainment of the Nobles
Life within the castle was very dull. There were some games, especially chess, which the nobles learned from the Moslems. Banqueting, however, formed the chief indoor amusement. The lord and his retainers sat down to a gluttonous feast and, as they ate and drank, watched the pranks of a professional jester or listened to the songs and music of minstrels or, it may be, heard with wonder the tales of far-off countries brought by some returning traveller. Outside the castle walls a common sport was hunting in the forests and game preserves which were attached to every estate. Deer, bears, and wild boars were hunted with hounds; for smaller animals trained hawks, or falcons, were employed. But the chief outdoor occupation and pastime was weapons training and fighting. 'To play a great game' was their description of a battle.

Carcassonne board game play video. Carcassonne is a tile-placement game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it. Inspired by the medieval fortress in southern France of the same name, Carcassonne is a tile-laying game in which players fill in the countryside around the fortified city. Followers can take many different roles determined by the type of tile on which they're placed. Carcassonne is a modern classic tile-placement game based on the award wining game in which the players draw and place a tile with a piece of southern French landscape on it.

Tales of the world series. Life in a Middle Ages Castle
Each section of this Middle Ages website addresses all topics and provides interesting facts and information about these great fortresses and castles of Medieval times including this section on Life in a Middle Ages Castle. The Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts provided about the fascinating subject of the Middle Ages!

Life in a Middle Ages Castle

• Middle Ages era, period, life, age and times
• Middle Ages Castles, Knights & Nobles
• Interesting Facts and information about Life in a Middle Ages Castle
• Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - The Visitors
• Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - The Residence
• Life in a Middle Ages Castle Description - Entertainment of the Nobles
• Architecture and building
• People and events surrounding Life in a Middle Ages Castle