What were the medieval drawbridges used for?

Answer 1

Like every other aspect of medieval life, drawbridge technology changed and evolved over time.

Gates are always the weakest part of any defensive system. The earliest Norman drawbridges in earth and timber motte-and-bailey castles provided a means of preventing the enemy access to wooden gateways (such castles had walls and towers constructed entirely of timber). A huge timber framework would allow part or all of a bridge in front of it to be raised by means of overhead horizontal beams linked to the bridge with ropes and counterweighted at the back. This type is often called a "lift bridge".

In later stone castles the bridge in front of a gate might be raised via chains to windlass winches housed in the tower above the gate. Another system involved a large pit inside the tower (as well as the moat outside); the double-length bridge revolved on pivots each side, so its rear dropped into the pit and its front closed flush against the gateway. Any attacker would therefore have to cross the moat outside, break through the raised bridge and then have to cross the large internal pit.

The links below take you to images of some of these methods:

Answer 2

the medieval drawbridges were used for people to cross the water without touching the water and to keep the enemies away from the castles.

Answer 3

It was a strong bridge across the castles moat. It had ropes attached to the far end so it could be pulled up so as to block the gate and remove the bridge from the moat.

Answer 4

a bridge that has been drawn by an artist

Answer 5

by pulling a chain or rope