The fortress guardhouse - Did you know?
The door, a strategic place to protect against all odds
Among the images of the Middle Ages, one in particular stands out: the image of the fortified castle. There were castles of all shapes and sizes, the most gigantic of which was undoubtedly that of Coucy in Picardy. But they were all united by a common goal: to protect, at all costs, the most vulnerable part of the castle: the gate. It's precisely above the castle gate that we find a military construction that serves to protect the entrance to a fortification: the guardhouse.
The Château d'Ainay guardhouse
The Château d'Ainay is fortunate to have preserved a well-preserved guardhouse. Its position within the castle is not insignificant: it's the most strategic point, located above theonly access to a fortified square. That's why the lord took every possible precaution to turn this weak point into the castle's strong point.
Two teams of soldiers to protect the most precious
Surveillance of the entrance gate was thus entrusted to two teams divided into two levels, in order to cleverly reduce the ever-present risk of betrayal. In practical terms, the guardhouse has two levels (the lower guardhouse, pictured here, and the upper guardhouse just above it).
The soldiers of the lower guard corps
Their essential role was to look after the harrow mechanism (reconstituted here) and to watch over the stunners (openings in the ground protected by wooden planks, through which all sorts of stinging, sticking, burning and piercing projectiles were thrown: stones, arrows, hot sand, pitch (a sticky, flammable substance obtained by distillation), pieces of wood). On the other hand, no oil was thrown, as it was far too expensive, and no water, which was too precious and very useful for extinguishing any fires. Excrement could also be thrown at the attackers, who were not above using trebuchets to spread disease! On the left is the chimney, useful for heating projectiles and providing a welcome source of light and warmth. In the mind of a medieval warrior, as long as the conflict is just and legitimate, all blows are permitted, even the lowest!
The soldiers of the upper guard corps
They were in charge of the drawbridge mechanism and had access to the hourds (wooden galleries overhanging the walls, allowing projectiles to be thrown at attackers).
How numerous were these soldiers?
No! In Normandy at the beginning of the 15th century, some fortified castles remained empty, with the exception of a captain whose presence was sometimes intermittent. The powerful Duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi, kept only a dozen men per fortress in Artois. As a general rule, the garrison of a fortified castle consists of less than a dozen men.
In times of peace, the garrison in a castle is reduced, but in times of conflict, it increases significantly, leading to a significant increase in expenses for the lord. In the 14th century, a series of decrees issued by King Charles V stipulated a number of security rules to be respected, including the maintenance, guarding and defense of fortresses by lords. They also regulated the inspection of fortified sites, with the aim of having the condition of buildings assessed by master builders.
Who were the men responsible for guarding the lord's castle?
To ensure the permanent security of his castle, the lord called on his vassals to perform garrison duty: the ost. A military service of forty days spent in one of the lord's castles as part of the feudal-vassal service between a lord and his vassals. After forty days, the vassal could either return home or have his expenses paid by his suzerain. Considered too onerous, this guard duty was replaced by the payment of a sum of money: the écuage, which in the 13th century enabled the lord to recruit mercenaries.
These garrisoned vassals enjoyed privileges: the right to hunt on the lord's land for food, and to gather wood for heating. During cavalcades (military expeditions limited in time and men), it was the lord who provided his troops with weapons, ammunition and food. The lord was obliged to maintain his vassals. This maintenance could be carried out either at the castle, in which case the vassal would be "bachelier" (lodged in the castle), or through the granting of a fiefdom, in which case the vassal would be "chased". The lord's assistance to his vassal also includes military and legal support.
What was daily life like for a soldier garrisoned in a fortified castle?
Most of the day was spent in military training, but also in hunting, seen as training for war and the fight against idleness, as well as games such as cards, dice and chess.
Why visit the Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil guardhouse?
Because it is exceptionally well preserved and, in the end, gives us an idea not only of the defensive system in place, but also of how these men lived.
Why visit the Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil guardhouse?
Because it is exceptionally well preserved and, in the end, gives us an idea not only of the defensive system in place, but also of how these men lived.
Sources and bibliography
Jean - Pierre Babelon , " Les châteaux en France au siècle de la Renaissance " , 1989 , Flammarion.
Jean Guillaume , " L'invention de la Renaissance " , 2003, Picard.
Jean-Marie Pérouse de Montclos : " Histoire de l'architecture française " , 1989 , Mengès.
Olivier Mignon : " Architecture des châteaux de la Renaissance " , Editions Ouest France.