Most people associate the Middle Ages inextricably with such things as the Crusades, knights, the Inquisition and, of course, castles. Many castles. The history of this period is incredibly rich in siege activities. Suffice it to say that in 9 out of 10 cases, medieval war was somehow reduced to a siege, an assault, or at least a blockade of fortifications. Hence the natural question arises: why storm the fortress at all, if you can simply bypass it?
Since about the XIII century, the main and most effective tactical technique that brought victory in a battle in most cases was the technique called “not to engage in battle”. The fact is that the medieval war in our time is overly romanticized. Of course, there have been really major battles, but a battle is precisely a "battle" that has nothing to do with war. How paradoxical it may sound. In the concept of "correct" medieval military war is plunder and siege.
Why is it so? To understand the issue, you will have to go from afar. During the times of the mighty and terrible Roman Empire in the Old World, there was an incredibly powerful centralized state with a very serious economy. which made it possible to contain "parasites" in the face of professional military men - important and necessary people, but completely torn from the economic activities. Rome could spend enormous wealth on the constant maintenance of legions, so they allowed them to get even more wealth through war - the seizure of new territories with resources, arable land and slaves.
In the Middle Ages, everything changed. Great Rome no longer existed, and with it there was no more powerful economic system that would allow maintaining a large number of professional military personnel on a permanent basis. The nobleman and the knight were representatives of the military aristocracy - the very professional military, but unlike the Roman legionaries, they were also the object of economic activity.
It was impossible to tear the feudal lord off the land for a long time in order to send him to war. First, the estate will not manage by itself. Secondly, you need to constantly look after him so that "good" neighbors and relatives do not do things in your absence. Collecting the feudal army has always been an extremely difficult task, since for economic reasons many feudal lords were extremely reluctant to break away from their native corner. In all European countries, laws were in force, according to which the feudal lord was obliged to serve a certain number of days to his master, after which he could leave the army with a clear conscience.
From all this comes the first reason for the importance of locks. You can always hide in them and just don't give your opponent a chance to defeat you! Sounds strange, but it actually worked. Yes, a "good" neighbor will be able to rob your land, steal some of the people to himself or sell them into slavery, but he will not be able to do anything with you and your army - it is enough to sit out for a week or two. Then the pendulum of the medieval war will swing in the opposite direction. The army of the enemy will simply crumble due to the impossibility of continuing the service, and then you and your knights will pay a visit to the virtually defenseless offender. For this reason, the castle must be taken and cleaned out, or everyone who is in it must be forced to go to the service of the besiegers.
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The second reason why it was necessary to take locks directly stems from the first. Yes, you can come and start looting property. However, until the castle with a garrison is taken, it will pose a threat to the army. Even 15-20 knights left in the rear will become a serious problem for the invading army, as they will constantly attack the caravans and deprive the invaders of supplies. As a result, the army will simply begin to starve, and the impudent partisan knights will, at the very first "akhtung", run back to the fortress and cheekily laugh from its walls, demonstratively drinking beer and eating it with a sausage stolen from one of caravans.
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The third reason is that if the war has passed into a fierce phase, then the castle is an excellent anchor point. In it you can always regroup, it is convenient to conduct observation from it, and you can replenish stocks in it. It was for these reasons that the fortresses had to be constantly assaulted, blocked or bribed. But it was extremely unwise to leave behind the castle with the garrison sitting in it.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about why the Mongol bow was not adopted by other peoplesif he was such a "wonder weapon."
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/160320/53805/