How did you storm a norman castle?

Answer 1

If the defenders were expecting you, you couldn't storm it. Most castles were taken by subterfuge, betrayal, bribes, threats, promises, incompetence and shifting political allegiances.

It might be possible to rush the gates if they didn't see you coming but usually you had to settle down for a long siege. This would be beyond the capabilities of most feudal lords because of the logistical problems involved. It was not unknown for sieges to end because a changing political climate meant that the besieged had become your allies.

Answer 2

Actually Storm is a nice romantic term mostly though you would starve it into submission. Few fortresses were planned for the long siege and lack amenities such as food & water. And sources for water were often pollutted no one drank water they relied on wine & ale and as any college student rushing to buy booze before the Kwik-E-Mart stops selling for the night the plight of those without alcohol is horrible beyond belief.

Thus one laid siege, the more soldiers one could place on the roads leading to the Castle the better. Not only detecting those entering & leaving but having forces strong enough to prevent supplies of any sort from being brought in.

If one was intent on taking a Castle then numbers count more than clever tactics. Depending upon the terrain one builds Siege Towers or relies simply upon ladders. If one has enough bowsmen then one rains arrows upon the upper battlements while brave souls climb the ladders and scramble over the top. Men would actually be forced up those ladders by sword wielding Captains.....

Yes the battering ram was in play once one neared a gate but essentially the key was to swarm over as many points of the castle as possible and overwhelm the defenders. It was bloody brutal work but it could be done was often done especially when it was English against French......

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Answer 3

First they waited them out with starving, then they tried to stop their water supply.

When and if all this failed, they negotiated, they left the owner or landlord have what he wanted but, made him pay and swear allegiance to the conquers.

When this failed, they used the catapult and the towers, then the battering rams, tunneling, the Greek fires. Storming was a last resort and only when they knew they could get through, then it was a "take no prisoners deal"


Somtimes they would wait, one, two and even three years for the castle people to slowly starve and give up.

Answer 4

With great difficulty...In fact, many castle were almost impregnable. As time went on, construction became more and more sophisticated. For example, some were built with a narrow passage between two sets of main gates, designed to enable defenders to rain down arrows, boiling oil etc. on any one trying to gain entrance - a killing ground par excellence. Sometimes undermining the walls was tried, with as much danger to the besiegers doing the mining as to the besieged. Rochester Castle in Kent has one tower that has slipped as a result of undermining, but which is still standing today.

Answer 5

Because of the emphasis placed on defence, most castle's weren't stormed. Just to approach a castle you had to brave longbow positions. Once you had reached the castle you had to bring down one portcolis, this led into a small courtyard where you had to bring down another. Above this portcolis were holes where burning oil, hot sand and other unappealing objects were poured, the intention being to kill or maim as many attackers as possible. You could not attack a castle without taking heavy casualties.

Rather, they were besieged and cut off to starve out the defenders.

If the attackers were in a hurry, they might bring seige weapons such as trebuchets into play, in an effort to destroy the defensive walls and positions, allowing them to surge into the castle without taking too many casualties.

On one occasion (I believe in Wales), a tunnel was dug under the corner tower of one castle, stuffed with inflamable material and then set alight, to undermine the foundation and bring the tower crashing down. It worked.

Answer 6

You asked Norman politely if you could enter. If he said yes then Bob's your Uncle!

Answer 7

With a battering ram, a siege engine and loads of soldiers.

Answer 8

F15s

Answer 9

They mostly worked it by surrounding them and starving them out.

Answer 10

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