Misconceptions


 * By Aaron **

Have you ever watched mythbusters? If you have then you know how they demolish myths. I am going to be a medieval myth buster. I will find out all the truths about your stereo type castles, knights, and secret passages. The only question left is will you read on.

The medieval castle. One of the first things you think of when you think of medieval times. But do you know the true secrets of the medieval castle? Lets find out.
 * Secrets of the Medieval Castle **

Secret passages are the first thing you think of when a medieval castle is mentioned. But are there really secret passages? The answer depends on the castle. Some castles did have a hidden escape route out of the castle if it was under siege. The more common passage was just an underground root cellar with a trapdoor under a rug. It was a place that the castle residents could fall back to if the castle was breached. The third type of passage was a lot like the second. It was more like a few underground rooms that had a well, a store of dried food and a place to sleep. So if you expected a hidden door behind a bookcase then you’d be wrong.  This could be a cave or a secret passages exit. Hmmm
 * Secret Passages **
 * [|Inside the cave at the cove, Silverdale] to [|Humphrey Bolton] **


 * Hidden Defenses **

There are more defenses in a castle than a huge drawbridge. There are several secret defenses. Take the stairs. They spiraled for a reason. The stairs forced the attackers coming up to have their weapon arms in a place that made it hard to swing. There was another secret to the stairs. They were uneven! People who lived there knew how high the steps were and could move up them quickly while attackers would stumble and fall. If you look at a castle they might have holes in the wall. They weren’t decorations. They are called murder holes. The residents could pour burning oil on attackers and seriously hurt them. Be careful if you ever climb up a castles stairs. You could trip and fall.


 * [|Spiral stairs inside Fatlips Castle] to [|W] [|alter Baxter] **

The other big stereotype is knights. We all think of our knights in shining armor. But who says thats the truth.
 * Knights **


 * Real Training **

The training of a knight is really vigorous. It also takes years to graduate to knighthood. A knight starts young. A baby will be given toy swords and ride on a pig to practice balancing on a horse. At age seven a boy would be sent to a nobles castle to be a paige. A paige was almost like a personal servant. Paige's was also taught knightlike skills like tilting a lance. After that they became a squire which was basically a knights helper. They’d clean armor, bring the knights lances, and other such work. Finally the squire became a knight after the dubbing ceremony. If you want to be a knight then you have to start young.


 * [|Jousting at Hever Castle, Kent (5)] to [|Peter Trimming] **

Are knights really so nice? Not really. A knight was almost never chivalrous. They were really big jerks. And sometimes they were so horrible that they killed for no reason. For instance in the first crusade hundreds of people were killed and it didn’t matter what religion they were. It was a horrible thing. Hopefully the next time you think of a knight you will not think about all the lies that you have been told.
 * Knights in Shining Armor. Not! **

My Links

===Britain, the Catholic church in Great, and Ireland in the 1400s. The Passetto. "SECRET DOORS AND PASSAGES." //Safe Rooms,Gun Vaults, Modular Vault, Security Rooms, Safe Room Doors //. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . ===
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==="Design Secrets of Medieval Castles." //Medieval Castles Home Page //. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . ===
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==="Secret passage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia //. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . ===
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==<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">"Middle Ages Knights." //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Middle Ages //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. <http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-knights.htm>. ==
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===** [] ** "What were knights really like? - Yahoo! Answers." // Yahoo! Answers - Home //. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090330092221AAyPAbj>. ===