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T O P I C R E V I E W
Nicholas We need info. on the siege of the castle, we're 11 years old.
Fox Atreides Well, the attacker usually started to put his army around the castle, letting nobody in or out, trying to make the inhabitants surrender because of starvation.
Other tactics were the poisoning of water and such. This was done to avoid battle in which many men would die.
When that all failed, the attacker brought out the siege weapons like:
catapult, siege rams, trebuchets and siege towers, with those they'd try to breach the walls and gate and get over the wall, ladders were also used, the defender used burning arrows to flame the siege engines, who usually had wet animal skins over them to prevent burning. Against ladder attacks the defender had boiling oil and other nasty materials to throw at them, they couls also try to push the ladders of the wall.
In case the castle had a moat, the attacker often tryed to fill up the moat with stones and earth and wood.
The defender could also make an outburst and attack the enmy's siege engines.
That's it, when the others have something I've forgotten to tell you, I'm sure they can say what I've forgotten.
Erik Schmidt Another technique was sapping. The attackers would dig under the walls or towers, then excavate the area directly beneath, constantly propping up the "roof" with heavy wooden suppports. When they had finished, the supports would be burnt which would allow the "roof" to cave in, causing the collapse of the wall or tower above.
Many means were used to avoid an actual siege.
Trickery was another means. Froissart recounts a tale of one castle, taken by soldiers dresses as merchants. They were let in, after which they killed the gate guards and kept the doors open for the rest of the army to enter.
Trickery, as well as bribery, using friends inside, lies and other forms of politics were all used, often going under the combined name of "intrigue".
Erik
Fox Atreides I knew I forgot something
duncan We can't remember every thing and it's good to let someone else add to a topic. {it makes us look smarter that way}
Fox Atreides jebjeb, Of course I couls also tell about the trick that was used to take krak the chevaliers after it stood through 12 sieges, but I'm a modest guy ;-)
Gordon Why be modest? Share your story with us.
------------------
'Demeure par la verite'
Visit; Gordon's Scottish Castles Resource Page
Fox Atreides you're not going to tell me that you don't know how the saracens took krak de chevaliers are you?
duncan I'll admit to not knowing.
Ok, now thats over with, how was it done?
I'll guess from with in?
Gordon I'll admit to not knowing, but then we can't know it all. The activities of the crusaders are a part of history I haven't concentrated too much on, unless it involved the Knights of Malta, from the seige of Rhodes until Napoleon ejected them from Malta.
Having said that, there will be many others who don't know the story, so share it with us then we'll all know!
------------------
'Demeure par la verite'
Visit; Gordon's Scottish Castles Resource Page
Erik Schmidt I read about it once, but I have forgotten
So Fox, please tell us.
You mentioned rams Fox. To expand on that there were at least two types. One to ram down doors or break the stonework. It had a large heavy head, often of iron, and very heavy body of timber. Another type, called the pick, was used to pick apart the stonework. Basically a pointed ram.
Also, a device(I don't know its name) is often pictured which had a very long beam pivited centrally, ropes on one end and a basket on the other. Soldiers were hoisted up in the basket, either archers to provide arrow fire down onto the defenders on the wall or infantry/knights to be placed onto the wall.
Need any other information Nicholas?
Erik
Fox Atreides Well, and I didn't know about the "device" and the 2nd type of ram, I had seen a picture of it but I didn't know where it was used for, now for the story, not that the crusades interest me that much, but it's in every basic castle book in our library, and I watch discovery channel quite often too
The "story":
Krak de Chevaliers was taken by deception, in this way: Saladin (I believe it was Saladin) send a messenger to the castle, disguised as one of the crusaders, who would bring the leader in the castle the message from his king either to surrender, or to say that the reinforcements he asked for could not come,(I just really don't know which of the 2 it was , 2 days ago I still knew...) after which the leader of the castle surrendered to Saladin.
-The world can be as you want, when you are as the world wants you-

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T O P I C R E V I E W
Nicholas	We need info. on the siege of the castle, we're 11 years old.
Fox Atreides	Well, the attacker usually started to put his army around the castle, letting nobody in or out, trying to make the inhabitants surrender because of starvation. Other tactics were the poisoning of water and such. This was done to avoid battle in which many men would die. When that all failed, the attacker brought out the siege weapons like: catapult, siege rams, trebuchets and siege towers, with those they'd try to breach the walls and gate and get over the wall, ladders were also used, the defender used burning arrows to flame the siege engines, who usually had wet animal skins over them to prevent burning. Against ladder attacks the defender had boiling oil and other nasty materials to throw at them, they couls also try to push the ladders of the wall. In case the castle had a moat, the attacker often tryed to fill up the moat with stones and earth and wood. The defender could also make an outburst and attack the enmy's siege engines. That's it, when the others have something I've forgotten to tell you, I'm sure they can say what I've forgotten.
Erik Schmidt	Another technique was sapping. The attackers would dig under the walls or towers, then excavate the area directly beneath, constantly propping up the "roof" with heavy wooden suppports. When they had finished, the supports would be burnt which would allow the "roof" to cave in, causing the collapse of the wall or tower above. Many means were used to avoid an actual siege. Trickery was another means. Froissart recounts a tale of one castle, taken by soldiers dresses as merchants. They were let in, after which they killed the gate guards and kept the doors open for the rest of the army to enter. Trickery, as well as bribery, using friends inside, lies and other forms of politics were all used, often going under the combined name of "intrigue". Erik
Fox Atreides	I knew I forgot something
duncan	We can't remember every thing and it's good to let someone else add to a topic. {it makes us look smarter that way}
Fox Atreides	jebjeb, Of course I couls also tell about the trick that was used to take krak the chevaliers after it stood through 12 sieges, but I'm a modest guy ;-)
Gordon	Why be modest? Share your story with us. ------------------ 'Demeure par la verite' Visit; Gordon's Scottish Castles Resource Page
Fox Atreides	you're not going to tell me that you don't know how the saracens took krak de chevaliers are you?
duncan	I'll admit to not knowing. Ok, now thats over with, how was it done? I'll guess from with in?
Gordon	I'll admit to not knowing, but then we can't know it all. The activities of the crusaders are a part of history I haven't concentrated too much on, unless it involved the Knights of Malta, from the seige of Rhodes until Napoleon ejected them from Malta. Having said that, there will be many others who don't know the story, so share it with us then we'll all know! ------------------ 'Demeure par la verite' Visit; Gordon's Scottish Castles Resource Page
Erik Schmidt	I read about it once, but I have forgotten So Fox, please tell us. You mentioned rams Fox. To expand on that there were at least two types. One to ram down doors or break the stonework. It had a large heavy head, often of iron, and very heavy body of timber. Another type, called the pick, was used to pick apart the stonework. Basically a pointed ram. Also, a device(I don't know its name) is often pictured which had a very long beam pivited centrally, ropes on one end and a basket on the other. Soldiers were hoisted up in the basket, either archers to provide arrow fire down onto the defenders on the wall or infantry/knights to be placed onto the wall. Need any other information Nicholas? Erik
Fox Atreides	Well, and I didn't know about the "device" and the 2nd type of ram, I had seen a picture of it but I didn't know where it was used for, now for the story, not that the crusades interest me that much, but it's in every basic castle book in our library, and I watch discovery channel quite often too The "story": Krak de Chevaliers was taken by deception, in this way: Saladin (I believe it was Saladin) send a messenger to the castle, disguised as one of the crusaders, who would bring the leader in the castle the message from his king either to surrender, or to say that the reinforcements he asked for could not come,(I just really don't know which of the 2 it was , 2 days ago I still knew...) after which the leader of the castle surrendered to Saladin. -The world can be as you want, when you are as the world wants you-