Castles and Knights

During the Middle Ages, powerful lords built strong stone castles to protect their land and people. Castles had thick walls, tall towers, and clever defences. The very first castles were made of wood and earth, but these burned easily, so builders later switched to stone.

Castles were packed with clever defences. Narrow slit windows let archers shoot arrows out while staying safe inside. A heavy iron gate called a portcullis could be dropped in an instant to block the entrance. Some castles even had holes above the gate for pouring water onto fires lit by attackers.

Knights were soldiers who rode horses and wore heavy metal armour. Becoming a knight took years of training, starting as a young page at about seven years old, then a squire, before finally being knighted, often at around twenty-one.

Knights showed off their skills at tournaments. In a contest called jousting, two knights charged at each other on horseback holding long wooden poles called lances, each trying to knock the other off. Crowds cheered, and winning knights became famous heroes.

Inside a castle life was busy: blacksmiths hammered armour, cooks roasted food over roaring fires, and lords held grand feasts in the great hall. Most people in the castle were not knights at all — they were servants, cooks, stable hands, and craftspeople who kept everything running.