The siege of Rochester Castle in the autumn of 1215 was one of the most dramatic episodes of the First Barons War. A rebel garrison under William d'Aubigny held the great stone keep against John's full royal army for two months. John had a mine driven under the corner tower, using the fat of forty pigs to fire the wooden pit-props, collapsing the tower. The garrison withdrew into the great square keep and continued to resist. When they finally surrendered John wanted to execute all the defenders but was dissuaded by Savari de Mauléon who pointed out this would only harden rebel resistance elsewhere.
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