Why were castles built?
Initially, they were designed and built to hold down conquered territory. They also served to intimidate and strike fear into the local peoples, were places of refuge, and places for the lords to live. They were also impressive symbols of the power and wealth of their owners. When were castles built? Norman castles were built from the 11th to 13th centuries. Castles were brought to Britain by William the Conqueror, when he invaded England from his homeland in France. Known as the Duke of Normandy, William invaded England in 1066 and, due to his victory in the Battle of Hastings, William was crowned the King of England, and became King William I. One of the most powerful ways for William to take control of his new kingdom, which included England, Scotland and Wales, was to have castles built throughout the land. At first, he ordered the construction of very simple castles, called motte and bailey castles. They consisted of an earthen mound, called a motte, topped by a tower (first built
Defense. The history of Britain and Europe was a constant stae of war and skirmishes for the last several thousand years. The easiest way to keep your livestock (and serfs) yours was to put them behind large walls when your neighbours decided to attack. Catsles developed from Hill Forts, to Wooden Motte and Bailey catsles, to the stone medieval castles you mention. A brief history of castle building shows their development (http://www.ecastles.co.uk/history.html) As well as defense, they served an offensive purpose, allowing troop garrisons to be maintained for raids and attacks on rivals. Further they were status symbols, showing the power and wealth of the King or Baron they belonged to. This was because they were not only impressive structures (often covered with white plaster, rather than the stone you see now) but also expensive to maintain. This has been asked before – see
