Page:Outlines of European History.djvu/457

 The Age of Disorder ; Feudalism 387 Section 64. The Medieval Castle As one travels through England, France, or Germany to- day he often comes upon the picturesque ruins of a medieval castle perched upon some rocky cliff and overlooking the sur- rounding country for miles. As he looks at the thick walls often surrounded by a deep, wide trench once filled with water, The medie- val castle Fig. 152. A Medieval Castle near Klagenfurt, Austria It was not uncommon in mountainous regions to have fortresses perched so high on rocky eminences that it was practically impossible to capture them and observes the great towers with their tiny windows, he can- not but wonder why so many of these forts were built, and why people lived in them. It is clear that they were never intended to be dwelling places for the peaceful households of private citizens ; they look rather like the fortified palace of a ruler. Obviously, whoever lived there was in constant expectation of being attacked by an army, for otherwise he would never have