At their height, these magnificent, fortified homes were at the centre of major world events and packed to the turrets with life. Rulers used their castles to defend territory, stash their riches and house their friends and family. To do that they depended on knights and soldiers, and they also needed an army of servants, cooks and all kinds of craftspeople to maintain their cushy lifestyle. On this guided tour, youll meet them all, explore their world and see the extreme ways in which vicious invaders tried to spoil the party! So, join us as we lower the drawbridge and usher you into the exciting, frightening and frequently strange world of castles.
Each volume in the Factology series provides a fast-paced and fun introduction to its subject, explaining key concepts and highlighting significant events in a manner that is clear, accessible and entertaining.
The KS2 and KS3 school curriculum is consulted when devising each volume, to ensure that the books cover important educational topics, making them a perfect teaching aid for learning history and STEM subjects.
1 History of the castle
6 What is a castle?
8 Early versions
12,400 years of castles
18 Henrys seaside castles
Chapter 2 The classic castle
22 Parts of the medieval castle
28 Grand designs
32 The Great Hall
34 The kitchen
36 Castles as prisons
Chapter 3 Castle life
40 In the name of the lord
42 First ladies
44 Kids in the castle
46 Knights
50 Trusty steeds
52 People of the castle
56 Home comforts
60 A typical day
62 Food & drink
64 Did somebody say just eat?
66 What they wore
70 Knight games
72 Badge of honour
74 Under siege!
Chapter 4 Extraordinary Castles
80 Windsor Castle
84 Escape from Colditz
86 Where is Draculas castle?
88 Most haunted
92 A 21st century medieval adventure
94 Glossary
96 Index
The Factology series has been created by Button Books' team of writers, editors, specialist historians and designers, who have collectively worked across a wide range of media including: books, magazines, newspaper, TV and radio. The design team have also worked for worldwide brands including: Nickelodeon, Penguin Books, Renault, MTV, Virgin and Levis.
