Methods Of Attack

Question 1

Scaling ladder

Answer 1

Used by attackers to “scale” the walls of the castle
Ladders had the disadvantage of leaving the man climbing being subjects to attack by arrow,boiling water or oil or being pushed to the ground

Question 2

The trebuchet

Answer 2

A very powerful type of slingshot
Could be used to fire rockets at castle walls sometimes rotting animal carcasses were fired into the castle in hope to spread a disease
Designed to fire long range to protect attacker from arrows

Question 3

Siege tower

Answer 3

Designed to be taller than the castle walls allowing arches to fire down on the enemy on the walls
Ramos would be lowered onto castle walls to allow troops onto the parapet to attack the defenders
The siege tower would protect them from arrows by animal skin they were also drenched in water to stop fire

Question 4

Mangonel

Answer 4

Type of catapult
Used to fire rocks at castle
Was a lighter version of the trebuchet
Had a shorter distance

Question 5

Battering ram

Answer 5

Thick stone walls of castles where hard for men to knock down
A battering ram was useful since the weight of 7 men were behind it in an effort to destroy walls and doors
It often had a pent house to protect the men using it from attack

Question 6

Ballista

Answer 6

A large crossbow devise which fired large baits at the enemy
This could be used as defence or attack

Question 7

Undermining

Answer 7

Involved digging under a castle wall as a way of entering the castle
Sometimes the tunnel would be filled with wood straw and even dead pigs then set on fire
This would weaken the walls making them collapse
The advantage of this method is that the attack could not be seen by those in the church
However they built moats to prevent this d
From happening