This post is a part of the "Writing locations" series. Make sure to check out writing a medieval village, writing a travel story and writing a medieval city as well. You can also check out my post on how to describe buildings. Outside of that, if you wish to read more about creating a map for your fantasy story or about world building in general, I invite you to read some other posts of mine as well.
In this post I'll focus on medieval castles, specifically European ones.
WHAT COULD BE FOUND IN THE CASTLE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS?
• halls with chambers, cellars, storerooms, latrines, common rooms including the larders, pantry, buttery and the great chamber, dormitory of the ladies in waiting and children, chapel, gallery
• servants' quarters, barracks, smithy, stables, barns, storehouses
• walls with towers, courtyard, barbican, gatehouse
• earthworks
HOW TO TITLE HIGHBORNS?
emperor: His or Her Imperial Majesty, Emperor of (Name of Country)
king: His Majesty, the King
queen: Her Majesty, the Queen
prince: His Royal Highness, Prince of (Name of Country)
princess: Her Royal Highness, Princess of (Name of Country)
duke: His Grace, the Duke of (Name of Country)
duchess: Her Grace, the Duchess of (Name of Country)
marquess: The Right Honorable
earl, viscount, baron: My Lord
Among the important people were also counts, bishops, abbots, provosts and seneschals.
FEUDALISM
A crucial thing in writing about a medieval castle is the role of feudalism. Feudalism stands on two pillars: vassalagge,
There were two pillars of feudalism: vassalaqge and the fief. Vassalage was the relationship to the lord, and the fief was the land granted by the lord in return for the vassal’s service.
Vassal was supposed to protect his lord, serve and counsel him. A lord was expected to consult his vassals on major questions of policy, such as negotiating an important marriage or going to war.
LADY
"The castle lady customarily was a pawn in the game of politics and economics as played by men.Although a woman could hold land, inherit it, sell it, or give it away, and plead for it in the law courts, most of a woman’s life was spent under the guardianship of a man—of her father until she married, and of her husband until she was widowed."
HOUSEHOLD
Outside the lord's family, there was also castle staff, its size depending on the wealth of the lord. There was the military personnel, including knights, squires, men-at-arms, porter and watchmen.
The ministerial and domestic staff headed by the steward or seneschal administered the estate, handled routine financial and legal matters, and directed the servants. There were often two stewards, one in charge of the estates, the other in charge of the domestic routine. The estates steward, frequently a knight, held the lord’s courts, headed the council of knights and officials that advised the lord, supervised local officials.
DAY IN THE CASTLE
The day would start by lightening the fires in the rooms by the servants. Knights and men-at-arms clambered to the walls and towers to relieve the night watch. After washing in a basin of cold water the lord and his wife they donned outer garments, essentially the same for both: a long-sleeved tunic, slipped over the head and fastened at the neck with a brooch; a second tunic, or surcoat, over it, shorter, and either sleeveless or with wide, loose sleeves, and often fur-lined; finally a mantle, made from an almost circular piece of material, lined with fur and fastened at the neck either with another brooch or with a chain.
After mass in the chapel, the household breakfasted. The morning was spent in routine tasks or amusements, depending on whether the castle had guests. The lord had his round of conferences with stewards and bailiffs, or with members of his council; the lady conversed with her guests or busied herself with embroidery and other domestic projects. Knights and squires practiced fencing and tilting, while children did their lessons under the guidance of a tutor, commonly the chaplain or one of his clerks. Lessons over, the children were free to play—girls with dolls, boys with tops and balls, horseshoes, bows and arrows.
Archery was a favorite pastime with boys of all ages, and the lords would typically spend significant amount of time hunting.
In the castle courtyard the grooms swept out the stables and fed the horses; the smith worked at his forge on horseshoes, nails, and wagon fittings; and domestic servants emptied basins and chamber pots and brought in rushes for the freshly swept floors. The laundress soaked sheets, tablecloths, and towels in a wooden trough containing a solution of wood ashes and caustic soda; then she pounded them, rinsed them, and hung them to dry. In the kitchen the cook and his staff turned the meat—pork, beef, mutton, poultry, game—on a spit and prepared stews and soups in great iron cauldrons hung over the fire on a hook and chain that could be raised and lowered to regulate the temperature.
An everyday dinner, served between 10:00 A.M. and noon, comprised two or three courses, each of several separate dishes. During dinner, even on ordinary days, the party might be entertained with music or jokes and stories. Many households regularly employed harpers and minstrels.
After dinner there were wine, apples, ginger; some played backgammon and chess, others went to snare falcons. Chess, widely popular, was played in two versions, one similar to the modern game, the other a simpler form played with dice. Either was commonly accompanied by gambling.
Supper was served in the late afternoon. There were also late suppers, just before bedtime.
Some interesting tropes connected to castles:
Haunted castle: on a foggy mountain peak in a forsaken mountain chain or a haunted forest wilderland looms the Haunted Castle. Its masonry is crumbling, the iron gates are red with rust, and the lonely towers, winding stone corridors and deep dungeons have witnessed so much treachery and evil that, even if long abandoned, evil spirits and creatures still lurk within its walls. The protagonist will be driven to the castle despite being warned against it.
Alter diplomacy: marriages are commonly used to resolve feuds or forge alliances amongst royal families and noble houses
Court Jester: entertains the nobles and royalty, though he may come from a humble background. Sometimes the only person in the court who speaks plainly to the ruler, albeit in riddles and wordplay
Decadent Court: a court full of dissolute living, scandals, conspiracies and treasons. Little statecraft and ruling is done amidst the intrigues and parties
Succession crisis: In theory, when the King dies, his heir steps straight into the vacancy, replacing him without any fuss, but too often that only happens in theory. In practice, the deaths of kings can be occasions of high drama
This post was written with a big help of the book "Life in a Medieval Castle" by Frances Gies.
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