Author: Fabiny, Sarah
Color: Multicolor
Binding: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 112
Release Date: 08-02-2022
Details: Product Description Go back to the thrilling time of warring knights who were prepared to give their life in order to protect their lord and his castle. Castles may conjure up a romantic fairy tale world; however, in real life, during the Middle Ages, castles were fortresses, providing shelter and protection for the lord as well as for the peasants who lived on his land. For an army, a lord depended on young soldiers in armor called knights who spent years at the castle learning the skills of warfare. Author Sarah Fabiny dives into the history of castles and how they grew from simple wood structures to mighty fortresses in stone. She also explains who could become a knight and what their lives were like off of the battlefield, enjoying feasts, courting their lady loves, and showing off in tournaments. With 80 fun black-and-white illustrations and an engaging 16-page photo insert, readers will be excited to read this latest addition to Who HQ! About the Author Sarah Fabiny has written several Who HQ titles, including Who Was Beatrix Potter?, Was Was Frida Kahlo?, and What Is NASA? Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. What Are Castles and Knights? Stirling Castle in Scotland was built on high rocks and had thick walls. It was supposed to withstand an attack from any enemy army. But King Edward I of England had other ideas, and he was not going to let high rocks and thick walls stop him from taking the castle. Edward and his army had been fighting the Scots for years in the Scottish Wars of Independence. Stirling Castle was one of the few castles left in Scottish control, and Edward was determined to seize it. In April 1304, Edward had a message delivered to the castle. The message said that an army of more than 1,500 soldiers and knights was on its way to attack. The castle was under the control of Sir William Oliphant, and he had only about twenty--five men there with him. However, they had expected an attack and were prepared. They had stocked the caves under the castle with salted meat and fish, dried fruit, and sacks of flour and grain. There was also a well beneath the castle that would provide fresh water. Up on the high walls of the castle, the defenders got ready for the siege. They armed themselves with bows and arrows and crossbows. The English army brought thirteen trebuchets (a type of catapult that uses gravity and a counterweight). They hoped these weapons would smash the thick walls of Stirling Castle. The army fired rocks and fireballs at the castle day and night. Against all odds, Stirling Castle held out through the siege. However, after four months, the defenders’ supplies were running low, and they were exhausted by the nonstop attacks. But William Oliphant and his men were not willing to admit defeat. Little did William Oliphant and his men know that the worst was yet to come! The English army had built the biggest trebuchet the world had ever seen. It was called the Warwolf. This giant weapon, which could fling a rock weighing three hundred pounds, soon destroyed one of the castle walls. Sir William knew that the castle was no match for this fearsome weapon, and he and his men would have to surrender. King Edward I agreed to let Sir William and his men surrender, but he also wanted to humiliate them. He ordered all the defenders to march out of the castle barefoot and with ashes on their faces. They were sent to England as prisoners, and Sir William Oliphant was locked up in the Tower of London. We usually think of castles as places where life was carefree, with kings and queens and royalty feasting and knights in armor practicing sword fighting. While those things did happen, life in the High Middle Ages was pretty hard. People feared attacks from neighboring kingdoms, and they wanted to be safe. The strong, sturdy structure of a castle protected them from enemies, and brave, skilled knights went to battle to guarantee this prote
EAN: 9780593226865
Package Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
Languages: English