From: steven@unipalm.co.uk (Steven Vincent)
Subject: Re: medival warfare
Keywords: seige warfare
Organization: Unipalm Ltd., 216 Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge CB4 4WA, UK
Distribution: alt.war
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 08:21:08 GMT

dan@cubmol.bio.columbia.edu (Daniel Zabetakis) writes:

>In article <1993Jan7.180507.24854@fcom.cc.utah.edu> syl5487@u.cc.utah.edu (SCOTT LEE/HISTORY) writes:
>>What would be a good example of a 'typical' castle?

>   There aren't any. Castles changed too much through history for there to
>be anything like a 'typical' one. Most old castles were upgraded. Also, many
>of the structures you might think our castles were built long after the
>castle ceased to be important (for romantic reasons).

For Medieval Period I think than some of the Ruins of Carnarvon in Wales,
The York City walls and Orleans in France are about right. Places like
Winsor which have been modernised are very different as are the Artillery
forts of the late 17 and early 18c. In fact some traditional farms are
actually typical of the small castle / fortified house that was common
to that period. La Haye Sainte of Waterloo was not much different that 
some of the fortified farms of 2c earlier. The Tower of London is a 
Pastiche of Periods including Medieval and has just accross the Road 
some Original Roman Wall. 

>>Was it easier just to starve them out?
>>
>   Probably. I think most sieges had thier conclusions based on outside
>events, namely relief. If a relief army could come to the rescue, even if
>very small, it could cause so much difficulty for the investing forces that
>they would have to give it up. I think it was common for castles to 
>surrender when they got word that there would be no relief attempt.

At the Time of Henry V (of England) Seige Warfare sort of had a pattern.
The Besigers would sort of turn up and ask the incumbents to Surrender
on relativly easy terms. If not they would start the siege offering 
weaker and weaker terms until the besiged gave up or were releived
(Something the French were very bad at doing). During this time the
various forms of seige artillery were not very effective but would
when combined with Mine's create breaches in the walls. If the city
did not surrender under terms but was taken by force then "the sac" 
was the normal outcome - wide spread rape, pillage and looting with
most peasants being put to the sword and only nobels worth Ransom 
being taken Prisoner. At this time combatats were mostly Proffessional
Men-At-Arms, Archers or Nobels who earnt their keep by Ransom and Loot
rather than regular pay. England was one of the few countries that actually
managed to pay the Soliders regularly and so was able to maintain a 
disaplined army. The Burgandian and Aramac forces would often dissolve
due to lack of pay or head off in the wrong direction towards a better
source of loot!

>   Wellington suggested that slaughtering the garrison of a resisting 
>fortress will encourage other forts to surrender promptly when besieged.

In which he was just recognising the Customs of Warfare at least 300
years older. 

>DanZ

>-- 
>narratives or ideas contained herein are not necessarily true, and do
>not necessarily represent the views of any particular person.  

======================================================================
Steven Vincent				steven@unipalm.co.uk