Chapter 8

**Two, The Lawless and Chaotic Age**

So, if living in the castle is so uncomfortable, why not simply not live in the castle? Instead, why not build a cozy wooden cottage in a nearby area with convenient transportation and beautiful scenery? After all, as a noble lord, you can afford the cost, and if not, you can always conscript the peasants to work for free!

This approach would be feasible in the late Middle Ages, when private feuds among nobles were already very rare and the era was relatively peaceful. As mentioned earlier, many lords had already moved out of their castles and only returned to them when war was imminent.

However, if you are too forward-thinking and try this in the early or mid Middle Ages... you are essentially courting death!

—At that time, Europe was in utter chaos, with no unified nation-states. Whether in England, France, Germany, or Italy, the land was divided among numerous feudal lords. The authority of the kings was limited to the capital and the royal territories, and they were powerless to stop the private feuds among the nobles.

If a noble's castle and land were taken by a neighbor, he had better not expect to get it back just by filing a lawsuit at court... unless he had a strong enough relationship with the king to persuade him to launch a war on his behalf. Otherwise, getting a position at court and a means of subsistence would be the best he could hope for. Therefore, in that era, every lord had to firmly guard his castle and dare not stay away for long.

Moreover, every lord was constantly plotting to expand his territory, finding excuses to launch invasions. Wars could break out over minor border disputes, personal attacks, careless remarks, failed marriage proposals, or even a gesture, an expression, or a look—medieval knights were violent and ruthless, and you should not imagine them as courteous gentlemen. Medieval poetry and literature record many of their despicable deeds. For example, a noble knight once proposed to a wealthy lady, but when she refused, he brazenly led his troops to besiege her castle until she was forced to open the gates and marry him...

In addition to the malicious neighboring lords, the forests of medieval Europe were also filled with vicious bands of outlaws, who roamed like locusts, frequently attacking and plundering estates—Robin Hood of England was one such example. You see, Robin Hood and his men could even capture small castles; how long do you think your elegant vacation cottage could withstand such an assault?

As for preemptively warning against these enemies and moving back to the castle before they arrive... medieval Europe was sparsely populated, with vast wilderness areas where small bands could move freely. How many scouts do you have to secure your entire territory?

Moreover, the territories of medieval lords were generally small, lacking strategic depth. A horseback raid from one castle to another often took less than half a day—such a short warning time was not enough to evacuate and relocate.

Furthermore, even if you could set up a tight defense on land, there were still the unpredictable Viking pirates at sea!

Therefore, in that lawless, bandit-ridden, and perilous era, if you abandon your sturdy and reliable castle to pursue some kind of lifestyle, and move to a beautiful but indefensible villa... it won't be long before a large group of assassins and bandits show up, either to kidnap you and your family for ransom or to take your life on commission from a neighboring lord!

So, for the sake of your safety, it's best to continue living in the castle!

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