Windmills are engines that are powered by the wind energy. The first windmill was built around 2000 B.C in prehistoric Babylon. By the tenth century A.D Windmills that were equipped with surfaces for wind- catching, length of 16 feet and a height of 30 feet were used to grind grain in Afghanistan and Persia (eastern Iran). The discovery of the windmill in the western world came much later. The earliest records of working windmills date back to the 12th century. The windmills in the western world were used to mill grain as well. It was after a hundred years that windmills were made to pump water as well as reclaim a big part of Holland that was in the sea.
In England, the windmill was introduced in the twelfth century; crusaders who were coming back from wars in the Holy land might have been responsible for this.
Windmill
Initially, mills were not very big and one can get a glimpse of them in stained glass, carved representations and manuscripts. Prior to it being used in the grinding of corn, windmills were also used in the moving of ships. To have the required effect, the mills needed wind so that the sails could be blown.