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That castles are best situated near communications routes (water or land) is mentioned, but not quite why. The purpose of castles was primarily interdiction of
by Nomentatus 10y ago
That castles are best situated near communications routes (water or land) is mentioned, but not quite why. The purpose of castles was primarily interdiction of supplies. Armies could bypass them, true - but then sorties from the castle later would cut their supply line. In a time when disease and pestilence were the greatest enemies of every army, and good roads and convenient navigable rivers rare (before canal locks got to the West), castles were very effective cripplers of enemy armies.
- JoeAltmaier 10y agoAlso, you need a butt-ton of supplies to build a castle. Back then, it was probably impractical to build them anywhere but a river or land trade route.
- arethuza 10y ago"...anywhere but a river or land trade route" Or on top of the plug of an ancient volcano!
- castlethrowaway 10y agoDo you have any references to learn more about considerations like these that explain the characteristics of castles?