The fortress and the auxiliary buildings that form the castle vary from a text to another. Sometimes the buildings (such as the chapel, the great hall and kitchens) were found within the main tower, other times not. The main tower was the main residence of the ruler. It was made of stone and could have square or round format. The main towers could be integrated into the wall, and had various functions. Residential apartments contained beds and furnishings. They were usually heated by fireplaces and the light came through the windows. The great hall could be in the main tower or in a separate building. In the first castles, as described in the epic poem "Beowulf," the great halls were used for meals and sleep. Later, they were used to entertain …show more content…
By the end of the twelfth century stone castles became more elaborate, not only by technical advances and the military needs as well as the obsession of certain nobles to build fortresses that reflect their dreams of power. The Edward I castles were built as advanced military machine, to ensure its hold on the conquered territory, and served to reinforce its rich and powerful sovereign status. All the kings of the Angevin dynasty, Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, spent thousands of pounds on their castles, chasing a reputation for unparalleled authority and prosperity men. It is still surprising that the Angevin dynasty has spent so fabulous sums in these constructions, as their financial resources were not known, the most extraordinary. In fact, their projects were undertaken only by its ability to convince his subjects to finance them, with promises of expanding territories and …show more content…
The artillery could throw heavy balls cannons so hard nor too strong walls stand any. Generally, the medieval castle gave way to fortified cities (almost like a reverse of history) and strong (as the colonial period in North America). Instead of large walls of brick or stone, these forts had large clay platforms with wooden stakes or stone on top. The idea was that thick layers of dust absorb the impact of cannon fire. In addition, these fortifications were easier and faster to build than castles. Initially what we can see is that the castles were always treated in general, as it were, first, a reality throughout medieval Europe, according to which the castles always evolved in closed standards, had the same architectural features and the same functions, which were concentrated in the hands of powerful lords and, therefore, was the hallmark of the absence of central powers in medieval