Lego Castle

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Lego Castle
Sub‑themes Black Falcons
Lion Knights
Forestmen
Black Knights
Wolfpack Renegades
Dragon Masters
Royal Knights
Dark Forest
Fright Knights
Knights’ Kingdom
Castle (2007)
Kingdoms
Castle (2013)
Availability 1978–Present
Total sets 100+
Characters Numerous
Official website

LEGO Castle is a LEGO medieval and fantasy theme featuring knights and castles. It was introduced in 1978 until 1997. The medieval theme was then carried on in the LEGO Knights Kingdoms and later LEGO Kingdoms themes. Lego Castle sets were marketed under the LEGOLAND banner until 1991. LEGO decided to change and add LEGO System in 1992, but was dropped after 1999. The year 2008 marked 30 years since the introduction of the Lego Castle theme.

Castle (1978–1983)

Assembled vintage 1978 LEGOLAND 375, aka. The Yellow Castle.

Castle is the first LEGO Castle theme, and, like Space, is still very popular. 375 Castle(often called the Yellow Castle) is the most well known set from this theme. Often known by fans as "Original Castle", the knights featured unique movable visor pieces, with eye slits, and a crest that runs backwards from the frontward-facing part of the visor along the helmet. These knights also wore a coat of arms (either a tunic or breastplate) over their body. It was not again until 1990 when knights came with movable visors and armor breastplates, as the knights between 1984-89 had solid grill helmets while their "armor" was just a texture on their body. As there were no horse-specific pieces, horses were built entirely of bricks.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
0016 Castle Mini Figures 1978 3 Knights
15 Castle Mini Figures 1983 6 Knights
375/6075 Castle 1978 4 Knights, 6 Guards, 4 Soldiers Re-released in 1981
383/6083 Knight's Joust/Knight's Tournament 1979 2 Knights, 2 Guards, Princess, Prince
677/6077 Knight's Procession 1979 4 Knights, 2 Guards
6002 Castle Figures 1983 Guard, Knight, Soldier, Hunter

Different Factions (1984-1992)

In 1984, LEGO released the first Castle sets that had more realistic castles, knights, and colors (such as gray castles rather than yellow) that more accurately depicted the Middle Ages compared to the Classic Castle sets from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The 1984 castle sets featured many newly introduced pieces and weapons. Examples are: one-piece horse, horse saddles, new knight helmets with fixed visors, feather plumes (there were three types in five colors: red, blue, yellow, white and black), waving flags and bows and arrows. Many of these new pieces would be included in future castle sets. The 1990 castle sets brought a further changes - as knights now had armor breastplates and helmets with movable visors.

Black Falcons (1984-92)

The sets that were released during this time period predominantly featured two types of shield illustrations. One shield featured a black and white bird against a black and white background, split down the middle, with a blue or gold border. The mini-figures that were associated with these shields almost invariably had black pants, black helmets, and blue torsos with black sleeves, often with the bird emblem on them. Fans have labeled these sets as "Black Falcons", though the term only appears once in any official LEGO literature (Black Falcon's Fortress), and the sets were never labeled as anything other than "Castle".[1] The Black Falcon's Fortress was known as the Eagle Crest Castle in Canada.[2]

In 1984, the first "Black Falcons" castle was Knight's Castle. It came with six minifigures; two archers, two spearmen, and two knights mounted on horses. Like the yellow castle, the set featured special hinge pieces that could open up the castle to take a look inside and get at the interior. The Black Falcons were also featured in other sets the same year such as Jousting Knights and Catapult. In 1986, the Knight's Castle was replaced by the Black Falcon's Fortress. The overall structure and size of the set was similar to the previous Black Falcons castle, and included the same type of minifigures (including the two mounted knights). The main differences were that the two defense towers had been moved to the front, and were made with more rounded (octagonal) corner pieces, leaving room in the back for a small roofed structure with a yellow Tudor wall. This set was quite unique because it was the first set to include the octagonal corner pieces and the yellow Tudor wall, as well as the only set to have a blue Black Falcons flag.

Although no new Black Falcons-specific sets would be released, Black Falcon figures would appear in other sets such as the Black Knights' Knights Stronghold and Sea Serpent; the Knights Stronghold featured the Black Falcons as attacking a gate defended by the Black Knights which implied that the two factions had been at war with each other.

LEGO has re-released some old Black Falcons sets. Examples are Battering Ram, Castle Mini Figures, and Knight's Stronghold. In 2002, at the request of fans, Lego re-released the Black Falcon's Fortress re-numbered (#10039) as a Lego Legend. This set was almost identical to the 1986 set: the horse saddles had two clips instead of one, and the shield ornament on the minifigures' breastplates was slightly different in shape.

1984 U.S. LEGO Catalog introducing the new "LEGOLAND Castle Series."
Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
6010 Supply Wagon 1984 Hunter
6011 Black Knight's Treasure 1985 Soldier
6018 Battle Dragon 1990 2 Soldiers
6021 Jousting Knights 1984 2 Knights
6030 Catapult 1984 2 Soldiers
6035 Castle Guard 1987 Guard, Knight
6040 Blacksmith Shop 1984 Guard, Blacksmith
6062 Battering Ram 1987 6 Soldiers
6073 Knight's Castle 1984 2 Guards, 2 Soldiers, 2 Knights
6074 Black Falcon's Fortress 1986 2 Soldiers, 2 Guards, 2 Knights Re-released in 2002
6102 Castle Mini Figures 1985 4 Soldiers, 2 Guards

Lion Knights/Crusaders (1984-1992)

A Lion Knight Minifigure.

The sets that would eventually form the basis of the Lion Knights were released the same year as the Black Falcons in 1984. The Lion Knights' shield used either a blue lion against a yellow background or a yellow lion against a blue background, both with a red border. The mini-figures that were associated with these shields invariably had blue or red pants and red torsos with blue sleeves, and their helmets were usually gray; and although many of them had a shield-like emblem on their shirts, it was not the same as the lion shield design, but rather, it was two black and gold axes crossing each other against a black and gold background, split down the middle, with a red border. A few of these sets were later inducted into the Lion Knight subtheme, so some fans retroactively consider all such sets to be Lion Knight sets. As with the Black Falcons, Lego never officially named this faction for some time, although catalogues in the United States and Australia used the name Lion Knights while Canada used Lion Crest. The 1992 Canadian catalogue officially established the faction as the Crusaders.[3]

Over the years, Lion Knights were included in many sets along with the Black Falcons, Forestmen, and Black Knights. Examples include the Guarded Inn in 1986, Castle Mini Figures in 1988, and Knights' Challenge, a set that was the successor after the 1979 Knights' Tournament, in 1989 (ten years later).

An unusual Lion Knights set was the Armor Shop in 1986, which was the only set to have the rare black short sword and a Lion Knight Flag.

The first castle under the Lion Knights was King's Castle. This castle was one of the largest Lego Castle sets produced. Four mounted knights and eight soldiers/guards were included. The walls of the castle could be opened to play inside the castle.

The second and last Lion Knight's castle released was King's Mountain Fortress in 1990. This was one of the first sets to feature the newly invented knight helmet visor and armor pieces. Crossbows and glow in the dark ghost were also new pieces introduced. The King's Mountain Fortress was also the first Lego castle to be mounted on a raised baseplate which would feature in subsequent Lego castles as well as in Lego Pirates. Two exclusive elements the set included a princess and a black-colored bird. A small Crusader-style set, King's Catapult appears to be the only Lego castle set to be released in 1991. Finally, the last Lion Knight-style set produced was Treasure Cart released in 1992, another small set that included a soldier pulling a treasure chest on a cart.

In 2001, Lego re-released the well-known Guarded Inn, re-numbered (#10000) as a Lego Legend. The set consisted of two Lion Knights, a mounted Black Falcon Knight, and an inn keeper. This set was the only structure to include red Tudor walls. One change in the reissue was the horse saddle had two clips instead of one. Since 1984, Lego Castle had horse saddles with a single clip (except the horse barding saddles) at one side until 1992 when that was changed to two clips.

The Lion Knights (like the other knight factions) were in open conflict with the Forestmen, as shown by several catalog dioramas, analogous to the legendary conflict between King John of England versus Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Outlaws. Sets such as Knights' Challenge suggested that the Lion Knights had a respected rivalry with the other knights, the Black Falcons and Black Knights. The 1992 Canadian catalogue described the Lion Knights (renaming them as Crusaders) as "looking to take over the country's rule" while also establishing the Black Knights as "longtime rulers of the countryside", possibly suggesting that these factions could go to war.[4]

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1463/1695/2889 Treasure Cart 1992 Guard
1480 King's Catapult 1991 Soldier Only Lego castle set to be released in 1991
1584/6060 Knight's Challenge 1989 2 Knights, 2 Guards, 2 Soldiers, Peasant, Princess
6012 Siege Cart 1986 2 soldiers
6016 Knight's Arsenal 1988 Soldier
6017 King's Oarsmen 1987 Guard, Soldier
6022 Horse Cart 1984 Guard, Soldier
6023 Maiden's Cart 1987 Guard, Princess
6039 Twin Arm Launcher 1988 2 Soldiers
6041 Armor Shop 1986 Knight, Servant
6042 Dungeon Hunters 1990 Knight, Soldier, Hunter
6049 Viking Voyager 1987 2 Soldiers, 3 Guards
6055 Prisoner Convoy 1985 Robber, Guard, Knight, Soldier
6061 Siege Tower 1984 Hunter, Guard, Soldier, Knight
6067 Guarded Inn 1986 Knight, Servant, Guard, Soldier Re-released in 2001
6080 King's Castle 1984 4 Soldiers, 4 Guards, 4 Knights
6081 King's Mountain Fortress 1990 Princess, 2 Soldiers, 2 Guards, Ghost, 2 Knights

Forestmen (1987–1992)

A Forestman minifigure.

The Forestmen theme was introduced in 1987 when Lego Castle released the first Forestmen set Camouflaged Outpost. This set was a hideout that featured a large tree adjacent to a cave where the Forestmen lived. The interior of the set could be opened to see inside the cave and enabled more play. The set included six Forestmen minifigures, the most Forestmen minifigures in a single set. This set was also one of the first sets to have a brown colored horse. In 1988, the Forestmen's Hideout was released; it was a small tree hideout that housed two Forestmen. The following year, the Forestmen's River Fortress, which was the largest Forestmen set, was released. This hideout was an abandoned castle covered with trees, vines and leaves, where it was surrounded by a moat. It included five Forestmen, and a Lion Knight paddling a raft.

In 1990, the last original Forestmen hideout set, Forestmen's Crossing, was released. This set had a unique baseplate of a small stream printed on it with white dots marked on the studs to indicate where to place the pieces. The set featured an old tower and a large tree which were connected by a rope bridge that ran across the stream. This was the only set to include a Forestwoman minifigure. A few forestmen were included in other small non-Forestmen Castle sets, such as Castle Mini Figures. At the end of 1992, the Forestmen were discontinued as a faction, along with the Lion Knights.

The Forestmen were considered the foes to the other factions who had knights and castles, such as the Lion Knights, Black Falcons, and Black Knights. Some have suggested that the Forestmen could be compared to Robin Hood and his outlaws, while the Lion Knights (with their Lion Crest) represented King John and the English throne. (In legends, Robin Hood did support King Richard the Lionhearted who led one of the Crusades, but after Richard's younger brother John succeeded to the throne Hood was declared an outlaw.)

In 1996, a re-make Forestmen sub theme was released, called Dark Forest, which featured an evil band of outlaws.

1989 Leaflet depicting the Forestmen besieging the castles of the Black Knights and Black Falcons.
Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1680 Crusader's Cart 1990 3 Forestmen
1877 Crusader's Cart 1990 2 Forestmen
1974 Smuggler's Hayride 1989 Robber, Forestmen
6054 Forestmen's Hideout 1988 2 Forestmen
6066 Camouflaged Outpost 1987 6 Forestmen
6071 Forestmen's Crossing 1990 4 Forestmen, Forestwoman
6077 Forestmen's River Fortress 1989 5 Forestmen, Guard
6103 Castle Mini Figures 1988 2 Soldiers, 2 Forestmen, Guard, Villager

Black Knights (1988–1994)

A Black Knight minifigure.

Much like the Lion Knights, the Black Knights officially appeared in 1992 and were based on earlier, non-subtheme-affiliated sets, some of which were retrospectively included in the group. They are characterized by a red, yellow, and blue dragon shield.

The first well-known Black Knights-style set released was Black Monarch's Castle in 1988, which was also the largest Black Knights set ever released. The enormous black castle was effectively an upgraded version of King's Castle, with the same general layout and the same complement of soldiers - four archers, four axe/spearmen, and four knights on horseback. The big difference was its inclusion of octagonal turrets. This was one of the first sets to include the horse armor barding. An interesting feature the castle had was it could be opened and closed using special "hinge" pieces, and snapped closed using a peg and hole mechanism; this enabled it to combine with Knight's Stronghold and Black Monarch's Ghost (see below) to create even bigger super-castles. In 1989, three Black Knights-style figures were included in the Knights' Challenge set.

Two more Black Knights-style sets were released in 1990; one was the Knights Stronghold town gate set that featured one mounted knight, four soldiers, along with a big catapult, and Black Monarch's Ghost, a set that included a lone mounted knight and a glow-in-the-dark ghost. Like the King's Mountain Fortress, Knights Stronghold and Black Monarch's Ghost featured the newly invented helmet visor and armor breastplate pieces for the knights. These two sets were also among the last Lego Castle sets to carry the Legoland banner. The two 1990 castle sets were re-released in 1992 with the Lego System banner on the boxes, but the instruction booklets of the sets still had the Legoland banner. The only changes that were made to the 1992 re-release sets were the horse saddles. The saddles were changed from one clip to two clips since 1992 was the year that introduced the altered Lego horse saddle.

When the Black Knights were officially launched in 1992, the Dungeon Master's Castle (renamed Black Knights Castle in 1994) was released to replace Black Monarch's Castle. A number of new entities were created for the new sets, including a new oval shape for shields carried by mounted knights, a somewhat different dragon design for the shields, an ornate new kind of helmet, new shirt designs for the mini-figures, and new dragon plumes available in four different colors (just like the feather plumes). The movable visors for the older helmets were redesigned to accommodate plumes on the sides, not just on the top. The older dragon triangular shield was still used in the sets for infantry and guards. These sets, along with Wolfpack, were the first castle sets to have minifigures with mustache and beard faces. Two other main Black Knights sets were released the same year as the Black Knights Castle in 1992. They were the Sea Serpent (the biggest Lego Castle boat ever released in the 1990s) and Black Knight, a small set that included a single, full armored knight, along with accessories. Older sets such as the Knights Stronghold and Black Monarch's Ghost were retroactively included as part of the Black Knights.

As the Knights Stronghold and Sea Serpent featured the Black Falcons, this suggested that the two factions were rivals, particularly in Knights Stronghold where the Black Knights defend the gates against a Black Falcons siege. The Black Knights were also opponents to the Wolfpack Renegades (the 1992 catalogue diorama shows Black Knights soldiers pursuing a Wolfpack Renegade wagon, while the Black Knight's Castle contains a Wolfpack figure as a prisoner) and Dragon Masters (the 1993 catalogue diorama shows Majisto the Wizard on a dragon engaging the Black Knights). Like the Black Falcons and Lion Knights/Crusaders

The Black Knights series continued until the end of 1994 when they were superseded by the Royal Knights in 1995. One of the last Black Knights sets released was King's Catapult in 1993, a miniset that included a knight who manned a tiny catapult. It was re-released in 1998.

1988 Leaflet introducing the Black Knights featuring a Black Knight mounted on horse (with horse armor), along with his squire. Notice the (6085) Black Monarch's Castle in the background.
Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1547 Black Knight's Boat 1993 Knight, Soldier
1590/1888 Ghostly Hideout 1992 Soldier, Ghost
1491 Dual Defender 1992 2 Soldiers
1624 King's Archer 1993 Archer
1917/2899/2890 King's Catapult 1993 Soldier Re-released in 1998
1971 Soldier Cart 1993 Soldier
6009 Black Knight 1992 Knight
6034 Black Monarch's Ghost 1990 Ghost, Knight Re-released in 1992
6057 Sea Serpent 1992 3 Soldiers, 2 Archers
6059 Knight's Stronghold 1990 Knight, 2 Soldiers, 2 Archers Re-released in 1992
6085 Black Monarch's Castle 1988 4 Knights, 4 Guards, 4 Soldiers
6086 Black Knight's Castle 1992 4 Knights, 5 Archers, 1 Soldier, Ghost, Renegade Originally called Dungeon Master's Castle

Wolfpack Renegades (1992–1993)

A Wolfpack Minifigure.
1992 Leaflet introducing the Wolfpack Renegades on the left, as well as the Black Knights Castle to the right.

The Wolfpack Renegades were a group of bandits in the LEGO Castle world. Only three sets were made, making it the smallest Castle factions. Their main hideout was 6075 Wolfpack Tower that included three renegades.

The Wolfpack was one of the official opponents of the Black Knights during its short run, as the 1992 catalogue diorama shows Black Knights soldiers pursuing a Wolfpack Renegade wagon, while the Black Knight's Castle contains a Wolfpack figure as a prisoner. Unlike the Forestmen who were never stated as being good or evil, most Lego literature implied that the Wolfpack were amoral outlaws.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1596 Ghost with Wolfpack Renegade 1993 Ghost, Wolfpack Renegade
6038 Wolfpack Renegades 1992 2 Wolfpack Renegades
6075 Wolfpack Tower 1992 3 Wolfpack Renegades, Ghost

Fantasy Themes (1993-2000)

Dragon Masters (1993–1995)

The Dragon Masters collection was released in August 1993. Majisto the Wizard (known as Merlin the Wizard outside of the U.S.) and his glow in the dark wand were introduced to the Castle series. This was the first time for Lego Castle to have a fantasy theme. The powerful wizard commanded his own organization of knights, the Dragon Masters. Their goal appeared to be the capture and possible taming (for use in battle) of fearsome fire breathing green dragons with red wings. The dragons were another new element to the series. The Dragon Master knights had newly designed faces, and were characterized by shields identical to the ovoid shields of the Black Knights except they featured a green dragon instead of the blue dragon. The Dragon Masters consisted of magic and mythical themes. The largest Dragon Masters set was Fire Breathing Fortress. Other main sets were Majisto's Magical Workshop and Dark Dragon's Den. The total number of Dragons included in the Dragon Masters sets was only three.

In Europe and Asia, a total of seven Dragon Masters sets were released in 1993. But in North America, only four sets were released that same year. The remaining three sets, Magic Shop,Dragon Defender, and Medieval Knights were released in 1994. One possible reason why this occurred was because in 1994, no new castle sets were planned to be released. Therefore, it was decided that these sets would fill in the gap. Other smaller Dragon Masters sets were released in 1994, such as Majisto's Tower and Dragon Master Chariot but they were only mini castle sets. The last Dragon Masters set was Wizard's Cart that featured Majisto carrying his favorite wand and traveling with a cart (loaded with a treasure chest), in 1995. This marked the end of the Dragon Masters reign. But the Dragon Masters sets inspired other castle sets to have magic and fantasy themes such as the Fright Knights.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1712/1732 Crossbow Cart 1993 Soldier
1736/1746/2891 Wizard's Cart 1995 Wizard
1794 Dragon Cart 1994 Knight
1906 Majisto's Tower 1994 Wizard, 2 Soldiers
6020 Magic Shop 1993 Wizard Released 1994 in North America
6043 Dragon Defender 1993 Knight, Soldier Released 1994 in North America
6048 Majisto's Magical Workshop 1993 Soldier, Wizard
6056 Dragon Wagon 1993 Knight, Soldier, Dragon
6076 Dark Dragon's Den 1993 Wizard, 2 Soldiers, Knight, Dragon
6082 Fire Breathing Fortress 1993 Wizard, 3 Soldiers, Knight, Dragon, Wolfpack Renegade
6105 Medieval Knights 1993 2 Knights, Soldier, Wolfpack Renegade Released 1994 in North America

Royal Knights (1995–1996)

The Royal Knights were the first Lego theme to have skeletons, starting with the first ever skeleton set "Skeleton Surprise". Their leader was the Royal King. Their largest set was the 6090 Royal Knight's Castle. This faction also introduced the fan favorite silver longsword, which is used by the Royal King.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
1752/1804/2892 Crossbow Boat 1996 Soldier
1843 Soldier Catapult 1996 Soldier
6008 Royal King 1995 King
6036 Skeleton Surprise 1995 Soldier, Skeleton
6044 King's Carriage 1995 3 Soldiers, King
6078 Royal Drawbridge 1995 Skeleton, 3 Soldiers, Dragon Master Includes a Black Knights shield rather than the correct Dragon Masters shield
6090 Royal Knight's Castle 1995 Ghost, Skeleton, 4 Guards, 2 Soldiers, King, 2 Knights
9205 Castle Value Pack 1996 Soldier

Dark Forest (1996)

The Dark Forest ties with Wolfpack Renegades for the smallest Castle theme ever. It is a continuation of Forestmen, mixed with Wolfpack Renegades, but is usually considered sub-par to the earlier themes. The largest set was 6079 Dark Forest Fortress

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
6024 Bandit Ambush 1996 Forestmen (2)
6046 Hemlock Stronghold 1996 Skeleton, Soldier, Guard, Forestmen (2)
6079 Dark Forest Fortress 1996 Soldier, Guard, Forestmen (4) Includes a Black Knights shield instead of the correct Dragon Masters shield

Fright Knights (1997–1998)

The Fright Knights were a faction of soldiers that were not ruled by a king, but instead by Basil, the Bat Lord. The Fright Knights Lego Sets delved deeper into the supernatural "Fantasy" aspect of Lego, featuring black dragons with fire-colored wings, creepy trap-filled red-and-black castles, crystal balls and Willa the Witch, a dark sorceress who was the real power behind Basil's throne. Their headquarters was the 6097 Night Lord's Castle.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
2538 Fright Knights Crossbow Flamer / Fright Knights Fire Cart 1998 Knight Shell Promotional Set
2539 Fright Knights Batwing Flyer / Fright Knights Flying Machine 1998 Basil the Bat Lord
2540 Fright Knights Catapult Cart 1998 Basil the Bat Lord Shell Promotional Set
2848 Fright Knights Flying Machine 1997 Basil the Bat Lord
2872 Witch's Fireplace 1997 Willa the Witch, black cat
6004 Crossbow Cart 1997 Knight
6007 Bat Lord 1997 Basil the Bat Lord, Draco the dragon
6027 Bat Lord's Catapult 1997 Knight (2)
6028/6029 Treasure Guard 1998 Knight
6031 Fright Force 1998 Basil the Bat Lord, Willa the Witch, Knight (2)
6037 Witch's Windship 1997 Willa the Witch, green dragon with black wings
6047 Traitor Transport 1997 Basil the Bat Lord, Knight, Prisoner, Draco the dragon
6087 Witch's Magic Manor 1997 Willa the Witch, three Knights, Skeleton, Dark Forest Raider, green dragon with red wings
6097 Night Lord's Castle 1997 Basil the Bat Lord, Willa the Witch, Four Knights, Skeleton, Royal Knight, Draco the dragon

Knights' Kingdom (2000)

Knights' Kingdom centered on a conflict involving the Lions, led by King Leo, and the Bulls, led by outlaw Cedric The Bull. This theme had many small sets with minifigures, and was the first Castle theme to feature two female minifigs, Queen Leonora and Princess Storm. The Lion shields were inspired by the Royal Knights. The Lions castle was 6098 King Leo's Castle, while the Bulls did not have a castle. The characters, weapons, the castle and others made a special appearance in Lego Island 2, where even the Bulls had their own castle. The set 10176 King's Castle used the shield crests of this theme, but was released in 2006 as part of the Knight's Kingdom II product line.

  • 4801/4811/1287 Defense Archer

Minifigs: Richard the Strong

  • 4806 Axe Cart

Minifigs: Weezil

  • 4807/1288 Fire Attack

Minifigs: Cedric the Bull

  • 4816 Knight's Catapult

Minifigs: Richard the Strong, Princess Storm

  • 4817 Dungeon

Minifigs: Lion Knight, Skeleton

  • 4818 Dragon Rider

Minifigs: Cedric the Bull

Animals: Dragon

  • 4819 Rebel Chariot

Minifigs: Gilbert the Bad, Weezil

Animals: Horse

  • 6026 King Leo

Minifigs: King Leo, Richard the Strong

Animals: Horse

  • 6032 Catapult Crusher

Minifigs: Gilbert the Bad

  • 6091/6098 King Leo's Castle

Minifigs: King Leo, Queen Leonora, Princess Storm, Richard the Strong, Lion Knight, Skeleton, Cedric the Bull, Gilbert the Bad, Weezil

Animals: Horse

  • 6094 Guarded Treasury

Minifigs: Richard the Strong, Gilbert the Bad

  • 6095 Royal Joust

Minifigs: King Leo, Richard the Strong, Cedric the Bull

Animals: 2 Horses

  • 6096 Bull's Attack

Minifigs: Lion Knight, Cedric the Bull, Gilbert the Bad, Weezil

Animals: Horse

  • 1286 Knights' Kingdom Cart

Minifigs: King Leo

  • 1289 Knights' Kingdom Catapult

Minifigs: Cedric the Bull

Knights' Kingdom II (2004–2006)

Knights' Kingdom II, aimed at six to twelve year-olds, was first officially announced in November 2003, in the English version of the LEGO magazine. In spring 2004, the large action figures were released in Europe; several months later, they were released in America. Both continents obtained the playsets in the summer. Knights' Kingdom chronicles the legends of the Kingdom of Morcia, a fantasy world, and the adventures that take place within it. The main characters are the knights of the opposing factions. It is a revamped version of an earlier Knights' Kingdom LEGO theme, featuring larger, action-figure like characters as well as more colourfully attired mini-figures in the traditional sets. While officially titled Knights' Kingdom on its packaging, it is popularly known as Knights' Kingdom II in order to differentiate it from the original theme which only included LEGO mini-figures and featured different knight, king, and villain characters. It was also made into a trading card game and book series. 8877 Vladek's Dark Fortress was the largest set of this theme. 10176 King's Castle is part of this product line, but is not in the official storyline.

With the emergence of a new Castle line in 2007, the line was discontinued.

Characters

This is a list of the characters in the Knights’ Kingdom line.

  • Lord Vladek: (Spring 2004-Autumn 2004, 2005–2006) He was the adviser to King Mathias, but he put him in a dungeon and claimed the King had gone missing, and that a tournament would be held to determine the new king. He entered, and planned to use the power of the Book of Morcia to win and become king. However, the four Hero Knights found Mathias and defeated Vladek. Some time after, Vladek fled, and found himself in the lost kingdom of Ankoria, where he regained power by creating the Vladmask, and took over the kingdom. It was here he adopted the title of “Lord Vladek”. He threatened to use the Vladmask to destroy Morcia, but Sir Jayko destroyed the Vladmask and stopped him. Vladek has a dark visage, with burning embers for eyes and a mouth set in a permanent grimace. When his Vladmask is not on, he can cause fear in even the most stalwart of the Hero Knights. His emblem is the scorpion, and it is set into his shield for all to know. Vladek's sword is of the darkest coal, sinister and deadly. Vladek is an oddity among the Knights’ Kingdom series kits, in that he is one of the very few figures to have only one movable arm via a dial on their back. This is supposedly because of his skill with the sword, and disdain of the shield. Vladek's sword is perfectly capable of deflecting all arms that can be brought to bear, and it is rumored he can split an arrow in mid air. Now Vladek has a new black and silver armor, red cape, and Sorcerer's Sword which is capable of deflecting boulders and creating things out of ruins.
Emblem: Scorpion
  • King Mathias: (????-Spring 2004, Autumn 2004-Winter 2005) He was the king of Morcia. He was the wise and just ruler of Morcia. He is currently retired. He uses basic light blasts from his sword to battle.
Emblem: Lion
  • The Guardian of the Citadel (c.unknown-2004,2006) He protects the heart of the shield the ages. he has two forms- a knight and an old man.
  • Danju- Danju is a legend among Knights and a loyal defender of King Mathias. Everyone looks up to him. He normally acts as a father-figure to pages and squires, giving them advice. He is also fairly wise.
Emblem: Wolf
  • Jayko- Jayko is the youngest of the 4 first Hero Knights. This bold knight loves action and is eager to show off his skills. He is fast as a hawk. He later becomes King of Morcia after the retirement of King Mathias.
Emblem: Hawk
  • Rascus- Rascus is the funniest and most agile Knight. But he is unable to stand still. People love to see him compete in tournaments because it's impossible to predict his next move before he does it.
Emblem: Monkey
  • Santis- Santis is the strongest of the Knights. Unfortunately, he does not have many friends, for his strength makes people fear him. But his friends know him as a very dependable friend, always willing to help his friends with their troubles.
Emblem: Bear
  • Kentis- Kentis is skilled in martial arts. Using his mighty battle mace, he will battle the Rogue Knights.
Emblem: stallion
  • Adric- Adric is very brave. His strong Axe can slash through anything-even the Rogue Knights' armor.
Emblem: Bull
  • Dracus:Leader of the Rogue Knights
Emblem: Dragon
  • Karzon:Weapons Master for the Rogue knights
Emblem:Snake
  • King Orlan: First king of Morcia
  • King Mallakee: Evil king who disappeared

Morcia

Morcia is where Knights’ Kingdom takes place. It is believed to be a reference to the ancient English kingdom, Mercia. It is the home of the Hero Knights, King Mathias, and Vladek.

  • Castle of Morcia: The current King lives in the Castle.
    • Chamber of Transformation: Knights get their armour here.
  • Province of Aldendan: Danju's castle is located in Alendan's Hills of the Highlands. It is an area of natural beauty. Magic Healing Herbs also grow here.
  • Province of Banteras: Rascus's castle is located in the Great Forest, in one of the old oak trees. All types of wildlife mistake Banteras for a forest.
  • Province of Talonjay: Jayko's castle overlooks the shoreline and seas far below. The waves form new tunnels, and wind helps the people provide their own power. Years of erosion made the lower working quarters of Talonjay Castle.
  • Province of Orkosan: Santis's castle is in the flatlands of Morcia. Orkosan has many farms.
  • Events:
    • Attack of the Vines: One day, mysterious vines blocked up the path to Banteras, making it difficult to leave. Sir Rascus finally destroyed the vines. *Moorlands:A province in Morcia where the Citadel is located that was cursed by the Great Sorcerer *Citadel:guarding place of the "Heart of the Shield of Ages", home of the Guardian.

Ankoria

A lost kingdom cursed by the Great Sorcerer,later Lord Vladek's kingdom, land where Knights Kingdom 2 takes place.

  • Vladeks Dark Fortress:Vladek's castle, built from the ruins of Ankoria.
  • Mistlands: A land located within Morcia, location of The Tower of Ages.
  • Tower of Ages: A mysterious tower that possess a great power, also known as the Mistlands Tower.

Sets

2004

  • 8781 Castle of Morcia

Minifigs: Jayko, Rascus, Santis, Danju, Vladek, King Mathias, Shadow Knight, Skeleton. Consists of a large castle and scorpion catapult.

  • 8777 Vladek Encounter

Minifigs: Danju, Vladek. Consists of a catapult and Vladek on horseback.

  • 8778 Border Ambush

Minifigs: Santis, Shadow Knight. Consists of a rope bridge.

  • 8779 The Grand Tournament

Minifigs: Jayko, King Mathias, Vladek. Consists of two jousting launchers, two poles, and the King's viewing box.

  • 8780 Citadel of Orlan

Minifigs: Santis, Guardian, Rascus, Shadow Knight. Consists of a large citadel.

  • 8799 Knights' Castle Wall

Minifigs: Jayko, Rascus, Santis. Consists of a castle wall.

  • 8800 Vladek's Siege Engine

Minifigs: Vladek, Shadow Knight. Consists of a siege tower with battering ram.

  • 8770 Danju
  • 8771 Jayko
  • 8772 Rascus
  • 8773 Santis
  • 8774 Vladek

2005

  • 8873 Fireball Catapult

Minifigs: Sir Santis, Shadow Knight. Consists of a wheeled catapult.

  • 8874 Battle Wagon

Minifigs: Sir Rascus, 2 Shadow Knights. Consists of a wagon with prison cell and catapult.

  • 8875 King's Siege Tower

Minifigs: Sir Jayko, King Mathias, Shadow Knight. Consists of a wheeled siege tower.

  • 8876 Scorpion Prison Cave

Minifigs: Sir Jayko, Sir Danju, Lord Vladek, Shadow Knight, Skeleton. Consists of a horse-mounted catapult, giant scorpion, and prison cave and tower.

  • 8877 Vladek's Dark Fortress

Minifigs: Sir Danju, Sir Jayko, Sir Rascus, Sir Santis, Lord Vladek, 3 Shadow Knights, Skeleton. Consists of a large fortress and Morcian siege machines.

  • 8801 Knights' Attack Barge

Minifigs: Sir Santis, Sir Rascus. Consists of an armed boat.

  • 8802 Dark Fortress Landing

Minifigs: Lord Vladek, Shadow Knight. Consists of a fortified dock.

  • 65767 Attack from the Sea

Pack containing the sets 8801 and 8802.

  • 8791 Sir Danju
  • 8792 Sir Jayko
  • 8793 Sir Rascus
  • 8794 Sir Santis
  • 8795 Lord Vladek
  • 8796 King Mathias

2006

Story: Lord Vladek has returned seeking the power of the Mistlands Tower, so that he can take over Morcia. This time he has hired an army of Rogue Knights instead of his usual Shadow Knights. The Rogue Knights are led by Dracus and his lieutenant, Weapons Master Karzon. In Morcia, Jayko, now King after defeating Vladek, hears about Vladek's return and his army of rogue knights, and how he's after the power of the Mistlands Tower. After hearing this, King Jayko teams up with two newly trained knights, Sir Kentis and Sir Adric, who must help King Jayko defend the tower from Lord Vladek and his army of Rogue Knights. In the end, "The Shield of Ages" is reforged by the mysterious Blacksmith (who is hinted as being the first king of Morcia, Orlan), the Shield is used to imprison Lord Vladek in an orb on top of the tower, the Rogue Knights get trapped in a dungeon, and Morcia is saved. As shown in the comic, the old knights did not die. Sir Danju is once again a trainer of knights, and shown as being the trainer of Kentis and Adric.

  • 8813 Battle at the Pass

Minifigs: Skeleton, 4 Hero Knights, 4 Rogue Knights, Sir Kentis and Dracus. Consists of a castle wall and four siege machines.

  • 8821 Rogue Knight Battleship

Minifigs: Dracus, Sir Kentis, Rogue Knight. Consists of a battleship and guard tower.

  • 8822 Gargoyle Bridge

Minifigs: Sir Adric, Karzon, Rogue Knight. Consists of a bridge and wheeled battering ram.

  • 8823 Mistlands Tower

Minifigs: King Jayko, Lord Vladek, Sir Adric, Karzon, Blacksmith, Skeleton. Consists of the four-story Mistlands Tower and wheeled catapult.

  • 10176 Kings Castle

This set was a recreation of "6090 Royal Knights Castle" MiniFigs: King, Wizard, Bull Knight, Bull Squire, Lion Knight, 3 Lion Soldiers, 2 skeletons, 1 Ghost, and a dwarf. Contains a keep with 4 towers on a mountain base plate.

  • 8701 King Jayko
  • 8702 Lord Vladek
  • 8703 Sir Kentis
  • 8704 Sir Adric
  • 8705 Dracus
  • 8706 Karzon

Other

  • G678 Knights' Kingdom Chess Set
  • Knight's Kingdom Alarm Clock

Castle (2007–2009)

Released in May, 2007, the new Lego Castle line features a human faction led by a King fighting against an opposing undead skeleton faction ruled by an evil Necromancer. This was also the first series to have a royal family including a Queen and a Princess. It also included other minifigs such as a Champion (Gold Knight), a Court Wizard, and even a Jester. The human faction bears the emblem of a crown, leading to being nicknamed by buyers and Lego fans as the "Crown Knights". Their main color scheme is dark blue, light blue and gold. The undead faction has the emblem of a skull, and the army consists almost entirely of undead skeletons, mostly the normal white kind but also featuring a new black variant. Their color scheme consists of dark red and black. In 2008, Lego Castle introduced sets with orcs, trolls, and dwarves to add to the medieval fantasy theme. Excluding the Chess Set, the largest set of this theme is 10193 Medieval Market Village. The last sets of this incarnation of Castle were released in 2009 and were replaced by a new castle theme, Kingdoms, in 2010.

All Sets

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
7009 The Final Joust 2007 Knight, Death Knight (armored skeleton), horse, and black skeleton horse 62 Pieces
7029 Skeleton Ship Attack 2007 Knights (3), Skeleton (3), Skeleton Captain, rat, and frog 628 Pieces; Limited Release
7090 Crossbow Attack 2007 Knights (2), Skeleton and skeleton horse 54 Pieces
7091 Knight's Catapult Defense 2007 Knights (2), Skeleton, and Black Skeleton 123 pieces
7092 Skeleton Prison Carriage 2007 Skeletons (2), Black Skeleton, Knights (2), skeleton horses (3), horse 192 Pieces
7093 Skeleton Tower 2007 Knight, Skeleton (2), Necromancer, Princess, horse, and red dragon 398 Pieces
7094 King's Castle Siege 2007 Knights (5), King, Skeletons (2), Death Knight (armored skeleton), Black Skeleton, black dragon, and white horse 973 Pieces
5372 Skeleton Chariot 2008 Skeleton and skeleton horse Unreleased
5373 Knight & Catapult 2008 Knight 18 Pieces
5614 The Good Wizard 2008 Wizard and owl 16 Pieces
5615 The Knight 2008 Knight 21 Pieces
5618 Troll Warrior 2008 Orc 19 Pieces
7036 Dwarves' Mine 2007 Dwarves (4), Orcs (2), and Troll 575 Pieces
7037 Tower Raid 2008 Guard (2) and Orcs (3) 364 Pieces
7038 Troll Assault Wagon 2008 Knights (2), Orc, and Troll 161 Pieces
7040 Dwarves' Mine Defender 2008 Dwarf and Orcs (2) 86 Pieces
7041 Battle Wheel 2008 Knights (3) and Orcs (3) 508 Pieces
7048 Troll Warship 2008 Knight, Dwarf, Orcs (6), Troll, and Dragon 493 Pieces
852271 Knights Battle Pack 2008 Knights (5) 35 Pieces
852272 Skeletons Battle Pack 2008 Skeletons (4) and Black Skeleton 43 Pieces
7979 Castle Advent Calendar 2008 Knights, Soldier, Jester, Skeleton (white), Skeleton (black), Witch, Dwarf, Maiden, and Troll 176 Pieces, Limited Release
852293 LEGO Castle Giant Chess Set (2481 pieces) 2008 31 in all. Knights, Dwarfs, Orcs, Trolls (two), horses (two), skeleton horses (two), two dragon heads, Necromancer, King, Princess, and Wizard 2481 Pieces
7078 King's Battle Chariot 2009 King, Knight, Orcs (2), horse (white) 103 pieces
7079 Drawbridge Defense 2009 Jester, King's Champion (golden knight), Queen, Knight, Skeleton, Black Skeleton, Reaper and skeleton horse (white) 335 pieces
7097 Trolls' Mountain Fortress 2009 Knights (3), King, Trolls (2), Orcs (2), Orc Shaman, Orc Chief, horse (white) 844 pieces
10193 Medieval Market Village 2009 Knights (2), Blacksmith, Peasant Boy, Male Peasants (2), Female Peasants (2), Horse (white), Cows (2) 1601 pieces
852701 Troll Warrior Battle Pack 2009 Orc (5) 28 Pieces
852702 Dwarf Battle Pack 2009 Dwarf (5) 45 Pieces

Kingdoms (2010-2012)

Kingdoms is the name of the new theme that was released June 2010 and replaced the Castle theme that had been in place since 2007. Kingdoms took over the position of LEGO's medieval-related System playtheme from Castle, while Castle was discontinued. Unlike its predecessor, Kingdoms departs from the concept of a fantasy world inhabited by undead, orcs and dwarves, and goes back to the idea of a more realistic world modeled after the European Middle Ages. The only fantasy-elements are the dragon-crests and a wizard minifigure. Thus, it features sets that are more reminiscent of the early sets of the classic Castle theme from the 1980s. Indeed, the set #7946 King's Castle is modeled after the #6080 King's Castle set released in 1984.

In Kingdoms, there are two antagonist factions that are pitted against each other. One side has the role of the attackers, featuring more vehicles and siege engines (The Green Kingdom/Dragon Knights). The other side has the role of the defenders with an emphasis on buildings (The Red Kingdom/Lion Knights). This setting makes the theme similar to the first Knights' Kingdom theme from 2000, but design-wise the sets are more in the tradition of Castle (2007). This theme featured new knight helms, new horse armor, and a new portcullis piece.

The final Kingdoms-themed set, called #10223 Kingdoms Joust, was released on December 26, 2011. The Kingdoms theme was discontinued in early 2012.

Reference Name Released Minifigures Notes
7946 King's Castle 2010 Lion King, Lion Soldiers (4), Dragon Knight, Dragon Soldiers (2), Horse 933 Pieces
7947 Prison Tower Rescue 2010 Lion Knight, Lion Princess, Lion soldier, Dragon Knight, Dragon Soldier, Horse 365 Pieces
7948 Outpost Attack 2010 Lion Soldiers (2), Dragon Knight 194 Pieces
7949 Prison Carriage Rescue 2010 Lion soldier, Lion knight, Dragon Knight, Horse 50 Pieces
7950 Knight's Showdown 2010 Lion soldier, Dragon Knight 61 Pieces
7952 Kingdoms Advent Calendar 2010 Blacksmith, Skeleton, Prince, Wizard, Lion Soldiers (2), Queen, Bar Maid, Dragon Knight 167 Pieces, Limited Release
7953 Court Jester 2010 Lion Jester 22 Pieces
7955 Wizard 2010 Wizard 19 Pieces
30061 Attack Wagon 2010 Dragon Soldier 36 Pieces; Extremely Limited Release
30062 Target Practice 2010 Lion Soldier 31 Pieces; Extremely Limited Release
852911 Court Jester Key Chain 2010 Court Jester 1 Piece, Lego Store Exclusive
852912 Princess Key Chain 2010 Princess 1 Piece, Lego Store Exclusive
852921 Lion Knights Battle Pack 2010 Lion Knight, Lion Soldiers (4) 36 Pieces, Lego Store Exclusive
852922 Dragon Knights Battle Pack 2010 2 Dragon Knight, Dragon Soldier (3) 37 Pieces, Lego Store Exclusive
852958 King Key Chain 2010 King 1 Piece, Lego Store Exclusive
6918 Blacksmith Attack 2011 Dragon Knight, Blacksmith 104 Pieces
7187 Escape From Dragon's Prison 2011 Dragon Knight (2), Lion Knight (2) 185 Pieces
7188 King's Carriage Ambush 2011 Dragon Knight (2), Lion Knight, Lion King 285 Pieces
7189 Mill Village Raid 2011 Dragon Knight (3), Farmer (2), Farm Lady 663 Pieces
10223 Kingdoms Joust 2011 King, Queen, Princess, Lion Knight, Falcon Knight, Young Squire, Nobleman, Soldier (2) 1575 Pieces, last set to include the black falcons

Castle (2013)

Lego has announced that in Autumn of 2013 they will be releasing a new 'Castle' theme to replace the previously cancelled Kingdoms theme.[5]

Timeline of Lego Castle themes

Year Factions Parallel Series
1978–1983 Classic Castle
Allies Enemies Outlaws
1984–1986 Crusaders Black Falcons
1987–1991 Forestmen
1992 Black Knights Wolfpack Renegades
1993–1994 Dragon Masters
1995 Royal Knights
1996 Dark Forest
1997 Fright Knights
1998–1999 Ninja
2000–2003 Knight's Kingdom (Lions) Knight's Kingdom (Bulls)
2004–2006 (Knights Kingdom II) Vikings
2007 Crown Knights Skeletons
2008–2009 Dwarves Trolls
2010 Kingdoms (Lions) Kingdoms (Dragons)
2011
2013- Castle

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑

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