What was the best way of attacking a castle?

Answer 1

Knocking on the door, with a great big battering ram ! Undermining, that is digging away under the walls so they collapse, which is why more modern castles have circular rather than square towers'. Laying Siege, waiting for the defenders to run out of food. Using artillery to breach the walls. Using scaling ladders to climb the walls. A combination of any or all of the above............

Answer 2

Several ways. Attack directly, scale the walls, starve out the occupants with a siege, toss diseased animals and dead humans over the walls, dig under it and set a fire so the stones will start to crack, toss rocks or torches set on fire, blow a hole in the wall after gun powder was introduced, and have some one inside open the gates.

Answer 3

Attacking Medieval Castles

There were three main ways to attack a medieval castle and overcome its defences:

• Starvation - works well on geographically isolated castles and castles which can be easily surrounded. Similar to denial of the water supply. Difficult when access can be made along a wide river or by approaching from the sea.
• Mining - some of the most stubborn castles were breached by tunnelling under the walls and starting fires which would lead to a collapse of the supporting earth. Interestingly this was still a valid means of attack in the 1st world war along the Western Front.
• Treachery, surprise and stupidity - Chateau Gaillard was breached through an unguarded chapel window and Beziers fell when the defenders rushed out enthusiastically leaving the gate undefended.

  The other means of castle attack tended to involve machines, either stone throwing or a battering ram. Read about the world's largest trebuchet at Warwick Castle.