As the Arabs conquered parts of the Byzantine Empire, they became fascinated by automata. In the ninth century, Banu Musa wrote a treatise which probably inspired the creation of automata in the gardens of tenth century Baghdad. The most influential Arabic book on automata was the Book of Mechanical Devices, which was written by Ibn al-Razzaz al-Jazari; it was based upon Hero's writings. Most Islamic countries don't have water to waste, so while the Alcazar in Seville did feature some hidden jets which soaked visitors, such jokes were not characteristic of Islamic gardens. It was in Europe that water games really flourished.
In 1295, at the northern tip of modern France, Count Robert II of Artois created the park of Hesdin. This park was the most famous of Medieval gardens, and there was a gallery of automata which seem to have been inspired by the Book of Mechanical Devices. This is rather surprising because it would be centuries before this book was translated into a European language. It is important to remember that the First Crusade began in 1096 and the Seventh Crusade was in 1270, so by the time that Hesidin's park was created, the French had been in close contact with the Islamic world for three hundred years.
Hesdin's automata were maintained, and more were added when the automata were restored in 1433. They included figures which suddenly squirted water at visitors, as well as other machines which covered people with soot or flour. A few machines even struck visitors in the face or beat them. The automata remained until Hesidin and its park were completely destroyed by the Emperor Charles V, after a siege in 1553
During the Renaissance, many manuscript copies of the Pneumatica by Hero of Alexandria were made. A Latin translation of this book was first published in 1575, followed by an Italian translation in 1585.
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