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Jan 1, 1066
William the Conqueror Brings Castles to England
After conquering the nation, William brought his customs to England, which ultimately included the building of castles. Some of the most extravagant castles can be found in England today. -
Jan 1, 1097
William Builds the Tower of London
After his conquest of England, William and his people began constructing the Tower of London. Completed in 1097 AD, this castle started as a basic motte and bailey, but later was remodeled into almost entirely stone. This tower was used as a confinement for prisoners, one of which was the Bishop of Durham at the time, Ranulf Flambard. -
Jan 1, 1197
The Chateau Gaillard is built
Built by Richard the Lionheart, this castle is said to be one of the most exquisite of them all. It overlooks the beautiful river Seine and sits on a hill about 90 meters high. Since then, Chateau Gaillard has sank in ruins but still gives us a substantial amount of information about its past and what it looked like at its beginning. -
Jan 1, 1201
The Beginning of the Decline of Medieval Castles
Beginning in 1201 AD, the creation of new castles started to decline for a couple reasons. For one, they were very expensive to make- and, because of the many castle attacks, they people began to lose money. In addition, around this time, the Chinese invented gunpowder. This caused the decline of castles because gunpowder was a much stronger defense mechanism. Castles pretty much stopped being built around 1500 AD. -
Jan 1, 1315
Warwick Castle is Attacked
During the Barons War, one hundred years after the signing of the Magna Carta, the Mangonels and Trebuchets attacked the Castle of Warwick. It suffered some great damage, but due to its conversion to a stone castle in 1260, it was able to withstand most of the damage. -
Motte and Bailey Castles Begin
Motte and Bailey castles were the first main castles to be built. They consisted of mottes, two mounds with a tower at the peak. These mottes could range from 50 to 120 feet in height! Ditches were also dug around the hills and filled with water, which soon led to the development of the moat. The bailey is an area in which crops are grown and livestock is raised. To enter the bailey, you had to pass through a large wooden door, usually guarded by soldiers.
