Author Topic: Question: Typical Siege equipment during Anarchy Period England (Read 1102 times)

LouieN · « **on:** 21 November 2021, 04:30:04 AM »

Having seen a great video on the Anarchy period of English history I had a question of what would be the typical siege equipment used during all those numerous sieges.

There were A LOT of sieges.

The crow got mentioned, but no towering towers like the siege of Jerusalem. Was it mostly blockade?

bluewillow · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 November 2021, 02:07:32 PM »

For the castles of the period very few were stone and even then simple Aquitaine or Anjou rectangular pattern rectangular Donjon towers, with entry halfway up the donjon using a staircase being the most common, the remainder were timber simple timber towers with a hall attached or stand alone on a motte with an outer bailey.

Good examples of the Aquitane-Anjou stone pattern type are the tower of London, Hedingham in England in Maine (Mayenne) chateau Sainte Suzanne, Normandy chateau Chambois, Blois Château de Montrichard and Aquitaine chateau Montignac-Charente.

chateau saint suzanne, note the bands a common building trait of Anjou maine using bands of White washed stone and red brown natural stone.

Château chambois

The typical siege could on a wooden chateau be as simple as an escalade with ladders, a battering ram, not necessarily covered, arrows and oil to fire the gates. A good example of a partial stone and wooden reproduction is in Mayenne France. Incidentally chateau was sieged during the troubles, in France along with it neighbour Saint Suzanne.

Wooden reproduction of a motte and bailey on original site at Saint Slyvian d'anjou

The larger stone chateau needed Mangonel, Traction Trebuchet (non counterweighted) , Ballista (springald) and the use of mines to undermine the foundations.