Very few castles were taken by direct assault. Starvation and disease
reduced a garrison to the point where they had to surrender or die
(Document 40). Chivalric courtesy and elaborate rules surrounded the
surrender of a castle—agreements which might or might not be honored
by the victors (Documents 36 and 37). For example, the castellan might
agree to surrender the castle if relief or reinforcements did not arrive
within a certain period of time. Under these circumstances the defending
force might be allowed to leave with their arms and honor intact.
But often the victorious army failed to keep to the agreement of surrender
and slaughtered the entire castle guard. Usually the castellan or
lord of the castle left the castle for prison or execution (Document 34).
After a long siege the defeated forces might be so debilitated by starvation
and disease that they died shortly after the siege was lifted anyway.
Treachery was always a possibility, and many castle and city gates were
opened by people who expected to receive large rewards for their treachery.
Ingenious tricks and disguises also played a part (Documents 43 and
53).
Although castles were often turned into prisons in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries, medieval prisons were small. Writers of romantic
fiction have made much of dungeons and torture, but medieval justice
was usually direct and swift. Traitors were usually killed before they could
escape to enjoy their reward. The only prisoners worth keeping were the
wealthy nobles who were held for ransom. For them the great tower made
an excellent and secure prison (Documents 37 and 41). Important captives
lived in luxury; King John of France lived in a London palace,
hunted in the royal preserves, and was not eager to return to France.
World History
