Castle (Eyewitness Books)

Here is a spectacular and informative guide to the castles of the Middle Ages and the lives of the people who lived in them. Superb, full-color photographs of castles around the world, plus specially built models, offer a unique and revealing "eyewitness" view of medieval life, from a castle's construction to its destruction in a siege. See a medieval lavatory, a giant crossbow on wheels, how prisoners were kept secure in dungeons, a herald in full regalia, and castles used by Crusaders in Syria and samurai warriors in Japan. Learn how castles got their water during a siege, how besiegers tunneled under castle walls, how the Normans built castles in a hurry, how the first guns worked, why round towers were better than square ones, and what a castellan's job entailed. Discover how enemies climbed castle walls, what was on the menu at a typical banquet, why many castles had resident carpenters and metalworkers, why Crusader castles were so well built, and much, much more.Christopher Gravett is the author of 'Castle (Eyewitness Books)', published 2000 under ISBN 9780789458889 and ISBN 0789458888.