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F

Falconry: The art of training falcons to fight.

Famine: Extreme scarcity of food in an area.

Fast: to go for a period of time without eating.

Feudal System: An economic or political system in which two or three free men vassal and his lord enter a contract where the vassal generally performs  military service in exchange for his maintenance this was usually provided by means of a grant of a land known as a fief.

Feudalism: The medieval system in which people were given land and protection by the owner of the land, or lord, and in return worked and fought for him. 

Fiddle: Instrument similar to a violin.

Fief: A unit of land held in exchange for performance of military services.

Finial: A slender piece of stone used in decorating  the top of the merlons.

Flail: A long stick used to beat out the kernels of grain.

Flaming Catapult: A machine used to throw balls of fire into a castle under siege.

Flax: A material woven to make thread.

Foot Soldier: A soldier who fights on foot.

Fore: The front part of a ship.

Fore building: A projecting Structure in front of the keep or donjon. Providing protection for the stairway and main entrance. A building against a keep containing the stair to the doorway, and sometimes a chapel.

Fortification: Something that fortifies, defends, or strengthens especially works erected to defend a place or position.

Fortified: Strengthened against attack.

Fortress: A place to defend the people inside.

Fosse: Ditch.

Foundations: The base of buildings

Fresco: A wall painting rendered on freshly laid plaster.

G

Gallery: An upstairs seating area or balcony, especially in large halls.

Gambeson: A quilted of clothing meant to be worn under armor.

Garderobe: A small latrine or toilet either built into the thickness of a wall or projected out from it.

Garrison: Soldiers stationed in a castle.

Gatehouse: The fortified entryway into a castle usually two towers built with the gate recessed between them. The complex of towers, bridges and barriers built to protect each entrance through a castle or a town wall.

Glacis: A bank sloped down from a fort or castle.

Gold Leaf: Extremely thin sheets of gold applied to manuscript pages to add beauty and luster.

Gothic: A newer type of design or style used to make sculptures out of different types of stone.

Great Hall: The main living room in a medieval castle. This room is also a place where the King and his Queen have great parties and entertain their guests. The building in the inner ward that housed the main meeting and dinning area for the castle residents.

Great Helm: An iron helmet that completely covers the head.

Greek Fire: Hot oil used to burn the knights inside their armor.

Guild: An association for the common good of people who practice a certain trade.

Gun Loop: Opening for a gun.

H

Habit: The uniform of a nun or monk.

Half-Timber: The common form of medieval construction in which walls were made of a wood frame structure filled with wattle and daub. Buildings within the castle would often be of this form.

Hall: Principle living quarters of a medieval castle or house.

Hawking: Same as falconry hunting with birds of prey.

Hauberk: A coat or shirt of chain mail.

Hedges: Strips of land that are owned by the lord.

Hemp:  Material that makes up a rope.

Heraldry: The study of coats of arms and family history. 

Helm:  Is like a bucket with holes for seeing and breathing. It would cover his whole head completely for protection.

Hide: A unit of measurement for assessment of tax, theoretically 120 acres, although it may vary between 60 and 240 acres. By custom it is the land that can be cultivated by one eight ox plough in one year.

Hoards/ Hourds: A platform built out from the castle walls. Covered wooden balconies suspended from the tops of walls and towers, allowing defenders to climb through the crenellations to drop missiles and fire arrows accurately on any attackers at the base of the wall.

Hoarding: Covered wooden gallery affixed to the top of the outside of a tower or curtain to defend a castle.

Holy Land: Today this is the area of Israel, Jordan, and Syria.

High Table: A raised table where the lord and lady of a castle ate with their honored guests.

HouseSteads: HouseSteads are first strategically placed on a craggy precipice. Hadrian’s wall has many examples. 

Hue and Cry: The requirement of all members of a village to pursue a criminal with horn and voice. It is the duty of any person discovering a felony to raise the hue and cry and his neighbors are bound to assist him in pursuit and capture of the offender.

Humours: A medieval medical term for different fluids in the body.

Hundred: Anglo-Saxon institution. Subdivision of a Shire. Theoretically, but hardly ever, equals one hundred hides. Generally has its own court  which meets to handle civil an criminal law. In Danish is called a wapentakes (weapons talking?).  

Hygiene: The science of staying in good health.

I 

Illuminated Manuscript: A book that is hand written and ornamented with paintings and gold leaf.

Imam: A Muslim prayer leader.

Infirmary: A small hospital.

Inner Bailey: A courtyard in which the kitchen granary keep and other storerooms are kept. It  is defended by a curtain wall.

Inner Curtain: A thick wall protecting the inner ward of a castle. The high wall surrounds the inner wards.

Inner ward: An open area in the middle of a castle.

J

Jester: A clown that amuses the master and his guest. These people had to make people laugh with their humorous poems, comic dances, and tales.                  

Jetty: The upper story of  a house that hung over the street.  

Journeyman: A skilled worker who is paid daily wages.

Joust: A contest in which two knights on horseback and they try to knock each other off.

Jugglers and acrobats: These are people who would perform their acts when traveling from castle to castle.    

K

Keep: Great tower and inner Stronghold of the castle. A Keep is known because of its great weight. It usually stands on Flat ground or a natural hill. It has immensely thick walls, with four straight corner turrets and small windows, which on lower levels look like slits for defense.

King Edward 1: King of England A.D. 1272 – 1307.

Knight: A trained soldier who promised loyalty and service to a baron.

Knight’s Fee: I theory, a fief which provides sufficient revenue to equip and support one knight. This is approximately twelve hides or 1,500 acres, although the terms applies more revenue a fief can generate that its size ;it requires about thirty marks per year to support a knight.

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