along the border

Further west for a few days, in the land of border castles, this time between England and Wales.

Aside from the castles, there's the examples of the battle-side camps used by knights. The example in my picture shows one with a comfortable four poster bed, and a separate sitting room.

I believe the medieval scheme was one of primogeniture, where the firstborn inherited the main land, the second born would go to the clergy and the third and so on would become knights. The knights could power up their status via judicious capture of opponents.

It was in the days before the armies fighting became fully systematised, and there was much money to be made from the return of valuable pieces (knights) to their estate, for the suitable payment of a ransom.

Also there was an idea where the code of chivalry would allow the return of a captured asset with a time allowance for the repayment of the ransom, to give the knight's estate time to raise the money.

A well known example was the capture of the French King John II, by the English, during the Hundred Years War. All manner of hostage swaps and financial arrangements were mads, although France didn't really have the funds.