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 Middle Ages Era - Castles
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diamond Member |
posted 11-24-2001 08:58 PM
  
I am in the 10th grade working on a castle project that I need help with. I am having trouble finding the answer to an essay question, "What needs did castles serve to the people of the Middle Ages?" I think that the answer is that the castles protected the people. Is there any suggestions you can give on where I might find other answers? I am checking out the library also. Thank you. |
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Merlin Senior Member |
posted 11-25-2001 05:41 AM
If read some of the older discussions, you'll get many answers to your questions. But I'll mention some points to give you an overview: • Medieval castels were , as you already suggested, for PROTECTION. Such a stronghold could protect the people living inside and around it in times of war. Some castles were also built to protect a bridge, a harbour, a pass or some other important point nearby. • Another very important function was REPRESENTATION. A castle represented the wealth and power of its owner, may he be emperor, king, earl, count, just nobleman or even bishop. Towers and high walls were very strong symbols of power, and also the site of a castle was often chosen because the structure looked most impressive on that singular high rock, even if there may have been better options from a strategical point of view. • A castle was also an ECONOMIC CENTRE of a larger or smaller area. It was often a centre for the farms and villages nearby, the taxes paid in naturalia were stored there, etc. These are only the most important functions of a castle, there sure are several others... |
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Erik Schmidt Senior Member |
posted 11-26-2001 01:14 AM
Hi Diamond, One thing you should be aware of is that castles mainly served the needs of the owners and the king to whom the owner was loyal. For many people the castle was both a symbol and a tool of repression and control. The common people(peasants) worked the land on behalf of the owner of the castle, and the castle was often used as protection against the people in times of rebellion. Erik |
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