Osprey - General Military - Knight - The Warrior and ... - Brego-weard

crusaders even threw the heads of captured Muslims over the walls to terrify the
garrison into surrender.
In all ol these techniques there seems to be no immediately obvious role for
the knightly warrior. Sieges were the preserve ol the lootsoldier, the archer and the
crossbowman. The erection and manning of siege engines and the digging ol mines
required specialist technicians, who were rarely, if ever, ol knightly rank. In this view
the knight had nothing to olfer as there was no role for cavalry. Of course, this was
not wholly true. Foraging parties needed protection and the area beyond the
encampment had to be patrolled for signs of relief forces or sorties, all duties for a
horseman. As we have seen, moreover, the knight was not solely a mounted combatant
- he was equally capable of fighting on foot or on horseback. In the siege he was as
much involved in the combat as the ordinary peditej. Granted, he was not likely to be
found with pick in hand or hauling on the ropes of a trebuchet (although, as we have
CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE
The formidable keep at
Rochester Castle. Clearly
visible is the one rounded
tower, rebuilt after King
John undermined it during
his siege of 1215. (Corbis)