Medieval Information

Concentric castles were not built until the later Medieval Ages. They consisted of many lines of defense including the last one which was the keep.

A concentric castle would very frequently have two or three walls around the keep. Additionally, some even had a moat for additional protection. Concentric castles were even more popular after the invention of gunpowder since they could withstand a siege whilst a regular castle could not.

If you wish to see how castles evolved from weak castles made of timber to very strong concentric castles, visit the Medieval Castle Timeline.

Archers were the key of concentric castles. An archer could very easily defend a castle by killing soldiers and receiving no damage at all. When a wall of a concentric castle fell, the castle would still have one or two more - giving a chance for archers to fire from atop the castle.

Another major advantage of concentric castles was the availability to have some farming land in the interior. This happened because the outer wall was not as expensive and strong as a normal castle's and thus; it could be bigger containing a well, farming land and houses.

Housing for concentric castles was also a major advantage. A concentric castle could be very easily defended and thus; many nobles would inhabit it. For the poor, having a house inside the castle was almost impossible unless the castle itself was very big - reason for which most medieval houses were built outside of a castle.

Obviously concentric castles were still castles and thus; everything else remained practically the same. Social behavior was very similar and the castle itself did not play an immense role in the way peasants behaved.