Why did people build castles?
In the middle ages, nearly all of Europe Was separated and split between lords. The lords owned and ruled the people in their land. In order to defend their land and people, lords had to have some defense system to protect them. Castles were built to help the lords defend their land. The castle was also their home that they lived in. Castles were very useful as they can be used to defend themselves and launch attacks. Castles were the best form of protection back in the medieval times and each castle included these features:
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Moat – A moat was a large ditch that was dug around the castle and filled with water.
Moats were a very helpful defense system. Moats would help the castle by not allowing the enemie over to the castle. Attackers would sometimes dig tunnels underground to get to the castle, but if a castle had a moat, attackers wouldn't be able to dig a tunnel and get into the castle.
Moats were a very helpful defense system. Moats would help the castle by not allowing the enemie over to the castle. Attackers would sometimes dig tunnels underground to get to the castle, but if a castle had a moat, attackers wouldn't be able to dig a tunnel and get into the castle.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/0/4/23040656/660001709.jpg)
Keep - The keep was a large tower in a castle.
Keep: The keep didn't really do much to help the defenders of a castle in battle. It was a place that the people living in a castle would run into if they were getting invaded. Sometimes, a defender would be at the top of the keep to get a better view of the surroundings.
Keep: The keep didn't really do much to help the defenders of a castle in battle. It was a place that the people living in a castle would run into if they were getting invaded. Sometimes, a defender would be at the top of the keep to get a better view of the surroundings.
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/0/4/23040656/680598878.jpg)
Arrow Slits – Arrow silts were silts that were cut into walls.
Arrow silts: Arrows silts helped defenders have a huge advantage as defenders could shoot attackers without getting hit.
Arrow silts: Arrows silts helped defenders have a huge advantage as defenders could shoot attackers without getting hit.
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Curtain Wall – A curtain wall was a strong layer of wall on the outside of castle walls.
Curtain wall: The curtain wall was basically a layer that helped protect the castle so attackers couldn’t break the castle wall and come rampaging in.
Curtain wall: The curtain wall was basically a layer that helped protect the castle so attackers couldn’t break the castle wall and come rampaging in.
Gatehouse – The gatehouse was the entrance to a castle.
Gatehouse: The gatehouse was very strong and hard to get through which meant that attackers couldn’t get through
Gatehouse: The gatehouse was very strong and hard to get through which meant that attackers couldn’t get through
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/0/4/23040656/445918647.jpg)
Battlements – Battlements are on top of the castle walls and are spaces that defenders use to help defend the castle.
Battlements: The battlements gave the defenders protection and allowed them to have a better view of the attackers giving them a massive advantage.
Battlements: The battlements gave the defenders protection and allowed them to have a better view of the attackers giving them a massive advantage.
Why did people stop building castles?
Castles were a very effective way of defending land and was practically invincible. It was invincible though as castles stopped being built when gunpowder was invented. When gunpowder was invented, castles were no longer invincible as gunpowder was an explosive and could blow up the stone walls of a castle. This meant that building a castle was a waste of money and time as enemies could easily destroy it.