KS3 medieval castles - homes for kings and queens

History Quiz - Medieval Castles 01 (Questions)

Medieval castles were strong stone fortresses where lords lived, soldiers trained and villagers took shelter. Explore how their walls, towers and gateways helped defenders resist enemy attacks.

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Fascinating Fact:

Features such as moats, drawbridges, portcullises, and murder holes made it difficult and dangerous for attackers to reach the inner castle.

In KS3 History, you explore how medieval castles developed from wooden forts into powerful stone strongholds. You learn how design, defence and siege tactics changed as weapons and warfare improved.

Key Terms

Fortification: A strong building or structure, such as a castle wall or tower, designed to protect people from attack.
Motte-and-bailey castle: An early medieval castle with a wooden or stone keep on a mound (motte) and a lower enclosed courtyard (bailey).
Siege: A military attack where an army surrounds a castle, cuts off supplies and tries to force the defenders to surrender.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Why were medieval castles built?

Medieval castles were built to control land, protect important people and defend against enemies. They also acted as centres of local government, justice and storage for food and weapons.

How did attackers try to capture a castle?

Attackers could use ladders, siege towers, battering rams and tunnels, or try to starve defenders in a long siege. They also looked for weak points such as gates or poorly defended walls.

How did castles change over the medieval period?

Castles changed from simple wooden motte-and-bailey designs to thick-walled stone keeps, then to concentric castles with several walls as weapons and siege technology became more powerful.

Try These Related Quizzes

Castles were first built in England after which event?

[ ]	Julius Caesar's invasion
[ ]	The Battle of Agincourt
[ ]	The Norman Conquest
[ ]	The Spanish Armada

Which King had the first castles built?

[ ]	Harold II
[ ]	Stephen
[ ]	William I
[ ]	William II

William was worried about attacks by which people?

[ ]	Huns
[ ]	Jutes
[ ]	Saxons
[ ]	Vikings

What were the earliest castles made of?

[ ]	Brick
[ ]	Concrete
[ ]	Earth and wood
[ ]	Sand and pebbles

A wooden fort built on top of a mound was called a .......

[ ]	Mite
[ ]	Moat
[ ]	Motte
[ ]	Mount

The enclosed area around the motte was the .......

[ ]	Bailey
[ ]	Bailiff
[ ]	Bailrigg
[ ]	Bewley

What usually protected a motte and bailey castle?

[ ]	A high hedge
[ ]	A line of trees
[ ]	A wooden fence
[ ]	Electric fences

The wooden fence had what special name?

[ ]	Balustrade
[ ]	Palisade
[ ]	Palister
[ ]	Palladio

As well as the king, castles were symbols of authority for whom?

[ ]	Barons
[ ]	Lord Mayors
[ ]	Priests
[ ]	Schoolteachers

10.

What was an advantage of motte and bailey castles?

[ ]	The wood rotted fairly quickly
[ ]	They did not last for very long
[ ]	They were cheap and quick to build
[ ]	They were easily set on fire

History Quiz - Medieval Castles 01 (Answers)

Castles were first built in England after which event?

[ ]	Julius Caesar's invasion
[ ]	The Battle of Agincourt
[x]	The Norman Conquest
[ ]	The Spanish Armada

The Normans came from France where they used castles to protect themselves from invaders from further north like the Vikings

Which King had the first castles built?

[ ]	Harold II
[ ]	Stephen
[x]	William I
[ ]	William II

He was also known as William the Conqueror

William was worried about attacks by which people?

[ ]	Huns
[ ]	Jutes
[x]	Saxons
[ ]	Vikings

He had defeated the Saxons at the Battle of Hastings

What were the earliest castles made of?

[ ]	Brick
[ ]	Concrete
[x]	Earth and wood
[ ]	Sand and pebbles

Using these made it possible to build a castle in just a few weeks

A wooden fort built on top of a mound was called a .......

[ ]	Mite
[ ]	Moat
[x]	Motte
[ ]	Mount

It protected the most important people

The enclosed area around the motte was the .......

[x]	Bailey
[ ]	Bailiff
[ ]	Bailrigg
[ ]	Bewley

People often lived within the bailey

What usually protected a motte and bailey castle?

[ ]	A high hedge
[ ]	A line of trees
[x]	A wooden fence
[ ]	Electric fences

A wooden bridge or ladder linked the motte to the bailey

The wooden fence had what special name?

[ ]	Balustrade
[x]	Palisade
[ ]	Palister
[ ]	Palladio

A palisade is a simple fence built from stakes of wood hammered into the ground and often sharpened at the top