Bedford Castle's siege machinery and logistics

The Bedford account sets roughly eighty defenders against a royal force of perhaps 2,500 men drawn from across England. Henry III's army brought or built trebuchets and mangonels, assembled mining teams, and expended tens of thousands of crossbow bolts. The king arrived with fine food and barrels of wine, emphasizing that besiegers also had to organize supply if they expected to outlast a garrison. William de Breauté held on because he expected either his brother Falkes or the pope to intervene. After eight weeks of bombardment and mining, the defenses failed and the women were released before the men surrendered. Together, the numbers and details provide a concise inventory of the manpower, matériel, engineering, and confidence required for a major medieval royal siege.