While medieval chronicles don’t mention boiling oil frequently, later literature and art began to depict it as a staple of siege warfare. This shift may have begun in the Renaissance and became more entrenched in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 19th-century paintings and historical novels, such as those by Sir Walter Scott, the use of boiling oil was often presented as a sign of medieval brutality or ingenuity. These depictions were picked up in early cinema and modern fantasy fiction (e.g., Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings), cementing the trope in popular consciousness.

Cartoons and children’s books also often show boiling oil being poured gleefully on attackers, giving it a fantastical and simplified flair.

Case Studies and Historical Records

Despite the lack of evidence for boiling oil, some historical sources mention similar tactics:

• Siege of Jerusalem (1099): During the First Crusade, defenders reportedly threw boiling pitch and hot water on the attackers.

• Siege of Château Gaillard (1203–1204): French besiegers were attacked with projectiles and possibly scalding water by defenders of King Richard I's fortress in Normandy.

• Siege of Rochester Castle (1215): Defenders poured hot water and stones onto King John’s attacking forces. There is no mention of oil.

• Siege of Orléans (1428–1429): During the Hundred Years' War, records speak of defensive fire and projectiles but not boiling oil.

• Such accounts indicate the reality: hot liquids were used, but oil was not typically among them. shutdown123