The defence of walled cities and towns, and the siege techniques for overcoming their defences, were a major part of medieval warfare. John Norris looks at all aspects of the medieval siege and draws examples from all over the medieval world - from the Middle East, where during the Crusades massive castles such as Krak Chevalier were established, to Britain and mainland Europe with historic sieges such as Rouen and Chalus, where King Richard I of England was killed. In addition to explaining the technical complexities of siege warfare, the author paints a graphic picture of the life of those involved, attackers and defenders alike.