Cathar Wars - Medieval Warfare - Châteaux Forts, Castles

Castles were often to be found in towns - generally because the town had grown up around an early form of the castle.

This meant that the castillion had three layers of defence. A attacker had to breach:

• first the city walls - and cities generally had substantial and defensible city walls
• second the castle itself, typically defensible even after its city had fallen
• third the castle keep or citadel - a tower that could stand alone even after the rest of the castle had fallen

The illustrations on the right show the Viscomptal Castle at Carcassonne located against the Aude Gate of the City of Carcassonne.

• Natural and fabricated obstacles - Cliffs, Rivers & Moats
• Walls & Battlements
• Draw Bridges, Port Cullises and Barbicans to defend entrance gateways
• Murder holes & arrow loops to deter attackers