9. Sieges Could Last for Months
Siege warfare was one of the most effective techniques during the Medieval era. An invading army would surround a town, village, or castle, cutting off any supplies or food for weeks, even months. They would build trebuchets and catapults and, once the defending force was weakened from lack of food and decreased morale, they would begin the attack on the castle walls. The goal of a siege was not to destroy everything, although that frequently did happen. The goal was to demoralize, terrorize, and intimidate the people into complete submission. Once they surrendered, the invading army could carry them off as slaves and loot the castle.
One of the greatest sieges of the Middle Ages was when Henry III of England besieged Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. He had been on the throne for five decades, and nobles there wanted to reduce his power. The defenders stockpiled enough food and supplies to last for months. During the siege, Henry gathered as many as 60,000 crossbows and nine siege engines, including trebuchets and catapults. The attack lasted for 172 days before the final holdouts inside the castle capitulated, having been subject to starvation and disease for six months. By the time they surrendered, they only had two days’ worth of food left.
