How did Motte and Bailey castles defend?
Motte & Bailey castles. A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle situated on a raised earthwork and surrounded by a ditch and protective fence. The bailey was an outer enclosure, which was also defended by a fence and sometimes a ditch, providing a first, outer line of defence for the motte.
What was the central and most important part of the Motte and Bailey castle defense system?
Buildings (or even small villages!) could be built on this Bailey – it was typically the centre of domestic life within the castle, and was surrounded by palisade fencing for defence. The third – and most important defensive element – was the Keep. Castle Keeps were built in many different designs.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of a Motte and Bailey castle?
Motte and Bailey Castles
| Advantages quick to build protected by the soldiers | Disadvantages made of wood temporary |
| Evaluation A motte and bailey castle was a way that William the Conqueror could control his land that he had just won. This was only temporary solution though so that is why stone castles started to be built |
How did castles provide protection from attackers?
The walls of the castles were very high making it hard for attackers to climb over. The top of the castle walls were the battlements, a protective, tooth shaped parapet often with a wall walk behind it for the soldiers to stand on. The defenders could fire missiles through gaps (crenels).
How did motte and bailey castles help control England?
Wooden motte and bailey castles helped William to quickly control the English BUT they burned easily and they rotted. Later castles were built from stone. These stone castles were impressive and showed everyone the baron was in charge and it was also a safe place from which to rule the local area.
How did castles defend against catapults?
When defending a castle against an attack from the outside, the catapult was typically positioned in an open square or on top of a sizable tower. It was then used to fire directly at enemy lines. The catapult was frequently aimed at destroying the siege towers and other siege engines of the attacking force.
How effective was the Motte and Bailey castle?
Building motte and bailey castles were an effective way of securing towns that had submitted to his power. Although the wooden structure was much more vulnerable to damage than a stone structure, a motte and bailey castle could be built quickly until the Normans had the time to build more permanent stone structures.
What are the disadvantages of the motte and bailey castle?
The major weakness of the motte and bailey castle was the likelihood of the keep rotting or burning down. The solution was to build stone keeps but these could not always be built on the same site since the weight of the stone would sink into the motte.
What are the weaknesses of a Motte and Bailey castle?
What were four devices used by attackers during a siege?
Among the most notable siege weapons used in the medieval period were catapults, siege engines, ballistas, battering rams and siege towers.
What is a motte and a bailey?
This consisted of two main components: the motte, an artificial mound atop which was built a fortified tower called a keep, and a bailey, which was an enclosure connected to the motte. Many castles of this type also had a ditch around the bailey.
What are the main features of a Motte and Bailey castle?
The castle is made up of two parts. The motte is a raised mound or earthwork which would have a stone or wooden keep on top. A keep is a kind fortified tower. The bailey is an enclosed courtyard that was protected by a ditch and a palisade – which is a wall made from wooden stakes.
How does a motte and bailey castle work?
A Motte and Bailey castle is a medieval system of defence in which a stone tower on a mound (the Motte) is surrounded by an area of land (the Bailey) which in turn is encompassed by some sort of a barrier such as a ditch. Being dark and dank, the Motte is not a habitation of choice.
Is the motte and bailey tactic dishonest?
The motte and bailey tactic is dishonest. It advertises one thing that is easy to convince people to support (motte), but really contains much more that is harder to convince people to support (bailey).
Who is person B in motte and bailey?
Person B either leaves the discussion or complains that person A was ambiguous. Person A claims victory and discreetly reverts to actually supporting [Controversial Interpretation of Viewpoint X]. The term “motte and bailey” was created by Nicholas Shackel, a British professor of philosophy.
When does the motte and bailey Mab work?
When the motte has been accepted (or found impenetrable) by an opponent, the arguer continues to believe (and perhaps promote) the bailey. Note that the MAB works only if the motte and the bailey are sufficiently similar (at least superficially) that one can switch between them while pretending that they are equivalent.