What were the main purposes of a Medieval Castle?
The basic function of a castle varied and their use changed over time. The three main uses of a castle are: • A fortified building that was used in a defensive manner to protect the people from outside invaders. • A fortified building that was used in an offensive manner. A king would often build a castle in a foreign or hostile land as a place to mount attacks from. This was one of the main ways that kingdoms were extended in size. • A fortified building for people to live in. Over the course of centuries the function of a castle changed. It became more of a place for people and royalty to live in. The military applications and functions of castles were minimized and the livability was maximized. They still retained their flavor and feel of being fortified but considerably less so. When were the first Medieval Castles Built? It is generally accepted that the first castles were built around the tenth century in the north of France. These early castles were built of earth and wood. When
