Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . have fortresses perched so high on rocky eminences that itwas practically impossible to capture them and observes the great towers with their tiny windows, he can-not but wonder why so many of these forts were built, and whypeople lived in them. It is clear that they were never intendedto be dwelling places for the peaceful households of privatecitizens; they look rather like the fortified palace of a , whoever lived there was in constant ex
Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . have fortresses perched so high on rocky eminences that itwas practically impossible to capture them and observes the great towers with their tiny windows, he can-not but wonder why so many of these forts were built, and whypeople lived in them. It is clear that they were never intendedto be dwelling places for the peaceful households of privatecitizens; they look rather like the fortified palace of a , whoever lived there was in constant expectation ofbeing attacked by an army, for otherwise he would never have 94 Medieval and Modem Times gone to the trouble and expense of shutting himself up in thosedreary, cold, stone rooms, behind walls from ten to twenty feetthick. We can picture the great hall of the castle crowdedwith the armed followers of the master of the house, ready tofight for him when he wished to make war on a neighbor;or if he himself were attacked, they would rush to the littlewindows and shoot arrows at those who tried to approach, or The Romancasirum. Fig. 28. Machine for Hurling Stoxes This was a medieval device for throwing stones and bolts of iron, whichwere often heated red hot before they were fired. It consisted of a greatbow (A) and the beam (B), which was drawn back by the windlass (C)turned by a crank applied at the point (Z)). Then a stone was put inthe pocket (F) and the trigger pulled by means of the string {E). Thislet the beam fly up with a bang against the bumper, and the missile wentsailing against the wall or over it among the defenders of the castle pour lighted pitch or melted lead dovra on their enemies if theywere so bold as to get close enough to the walls. The Romans had been accustomed to build walls around theircamps, and a walled camp was called castrum; and in suchnames as Rochester, Winchester, Gloucester, Worcester, wehave reminders of the-fact that these towns were
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Keywords: ., bookauthorrobinson, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1919
