The war machine

The war machine
To expand his territory, a lord had several options: buy land, wed a wife whose dowry may confer him rights or territories, or wage war to invade other domains. Nevertheless, armed conflict is very costly. While cinema has often immortalized the Middle Ages as a time of great sieges of fortified places using war machines, the reality, with a few exceptions, is very different. In fact, fortified castles were often taken by trickery or negotiation with their occupants, as the mere installation of war machines could force a lord to engage in talks with his adversaries. Today, the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne boasts a replica of a ballista. This steerable military machine sends a spear, also known as a "dart", to its target. The ballista was mainly used by the castle's inhabitants to defend themselves against siege towers, those huge fortresses on wheels, although it could also be used during a siege.