The Castle

By the 1100’s, manor houses were made of stone and were called castles. Because they were designed as fortresses, the castles made the nobles feel secure and independent. The castle had thick stone walls, one within another. Each corner had its own lookout tower with archers in it. Some castles were further protected by a moat with a soft, muddy bottom that stopped attackers from using ladders to climb over the walls. To cross the moat, a person had to use a drawbridge, or heavy door, that could be raised or lowered. The drawbridge led to the portcullis, or heavy oak and iron gate that served as the entrance to the castle.

Early castles were not very comfortable places in which to live. They were built primarily as the lord’s headquarters and provided shelter for a lord and his armies. In case of attack, they also provided a place of safety for the nearby villagers. Castles became worlds of their own. There were mills, bakeries, stables, smithies, and more. Most castles had enough space to store a large supply food and drink. As a result, the people in the castle could hold out against attackers for as long as six months.

CASTLE LIFE

The castle was first and foremost a fortress, designed to protect the interests of the lord or king who owned it. But the castle served other functions as well. It provided living quarters for the lord, his family, and their other servants. The castle contained barracks for the lord’s soldiers, homes for the craftspeople, and office to manage the lord’s estate, and a court to enforce law and order.

Many people lived in the castle. Since the lord of the castle was away fighting most of the time, the servants and officials were responsible for the castle’s care and defense. When the nobles were at home, they looked after their estates, went hunting and fishing, and held court. During long winter evenings, they played chess. Wandering minstrels sang songs and played stringed instruments to entertain the nobles and their guests.

When each child reaches the age of eight or nine, he or she is sent to live in the castle of another family. A noble began training to be a knight when he was seven years old. He was sent to the castle of a great lord where he learned to be a page, or person who helped the knights of the castle care for their horses and armor.

Girls during the early Middle Ages were sent off to other castles to learn about their future duties. As they grew older and married, girls would have their own castle to run, so they needed to know how to manage money, supervise servants, and plan feasts. Girls also needed to know how to make wine, tend to gardens, and nurse the sick. The girls had to learn these lessons pretty quickly, because they might be married by the time they’re 12 years old! Boys also married young - probably around age 14.

Noblewomen were called ladies. Once they married, their husbands had complete authority over them. Most marriages were planned to unite important families, and a woman had little say about whom was chosen for her. The bride’s family gave the groom a dowry. Most nobles looked for wives with large dowries. Those who were not married by the time they were 21, could expect to stay single for the rest of their lives.

A HARD DAY’S WORK

Imagine that you have friends whose parents are not of the nobility. The lessons these children learned were somewhat different from yours. They were not interested in the proper way to serve wine; they were more concerned with how to earn a living.

Children of working-class parents were often sent to serve as apprentices. Boys were usually apprenticed to a master craftworker, while girls were more commonly apprenticed to the master’s wife. In either case, the children lived with the master’s family. They soaked up every bit of knowledge they could about shoemaking or weaving silk or whatever trades or craft they were learning. With luck, they might become master craftworkers themselves.

FUN AND GAMES

Even though medieval children had a lot to learn, they also had time for fun and games. Children of noblemen, played hiding games in the castle. They also frolicked with small dogs, tamed squirrels, and other castle pets. Sometimes they played horseshoes, marbles, or even early forms of tennis or soccer.

Children of working-class parents also had plenty of games and hobbies. They danced, wrestled, or played dice games. In the winter they may have had a snowball fight or went ice-skating, using animal shinbones as blades. Every now and then, the children might see jugglers, acrobats, animal trainers, or puppeteers perform as they passed through town.

KNIGHTHOOD

Almost all nobles were knights, or warriors on horseback. No one was born a knight. Knighthood had to be earned. Knights were expected to follow certain rules known as the code of chivalry. These rules stated that the knight was to obey his lord, to respect women of noble birth, and to help people in time of trouble. A knight was to be honest and to fight fairly against his enemies. Few knights actually lived up to all the rules. The code of chivalry, however, became the guide to behavior from which the western idea of good manners developed.

A noble began training to be a knight when he was seven years old. He was sent to the castle of a great lord where he learned to be a page, or a person who helped the knights of the castle care for their horses and armor. He strengthened his arms and wrist by hitting a wooden post with a fake sword. He learned good manners and ran errands for the ladies. He was taught to ride and fight. By the time he was 14, he could handle a lance and sword while riding on horseback.

When he was 15, the young noble became a squire and was put under the care and training of a knight. A squire went into battle with his knight and was expected to rescue the knight if he was wounded or fell off his horse.

If the squire proved to be a good fighter, he was rewarded with knighthood. This was done in a special ceremony known as the dubbing. The night before the ceremony, the squire prayed in the castle chapel. In the morning, he knelt before his lord and took an oath to defend the noble and his church against its enemies. He also promised to fight only for his lord and to protect the weak and helpless. Then, the lord tapped the squire on each shoulder with the blade of a sword and pronounced him a knight.

TOURNAMENTS

Special contests tested strength, skill, and endurance. Tournaments were held outdoors in a large field near a castle. Important guests watched the events from seats in the stands covered with colorful cushions, carpets, and tapestries. The most popular event was a joust. Two armored knights on horseback carrying blunt lances galloped headlong towards each other from opposite ends of the field. Each tried with all his strength and skill to knock the other to the ground with his lance.

Tournaments were costly. Men and horses were injured and killed. Lances, swords, shields, and suits of armor were ruined. The noble who gave the tournament had to feed hundreds of people. In spite of the cost, tournaments remained popular. It was believed that a knight who had not learned to fight in a tournament could not fight well in battle.

For more information on life in a castle, refer to NOVA's "Castle Life" Internet site at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/castle.html

**You should now have enough information to answer the comprehension questions on your worksheet.**