![]() Read more about: Medieval History 6 bloodiest battles in medieval history >Other weapons, such as whips, don’t fit into any category. They’re most suitable for battling the least armoured opponents. ![]() Edged weapons are designed to cut, stab and even dismember. They are likely the most traditional type of weapon you imagine when thinking about medieval battle and amongst the most commonly used. Edged weapons include swords, daggers, axes and scythes. The final category of weapons is perhaps the most immediately recognisable to the contemporary eye. Common types of blunt weapons included war hammers, flails, staves and maces. They were useful as an alternative when pointed or edged weapons may have been less effective due to strong armour. Blunt weaponsīlunt weapons rely upon blunt force to cause trauma and damage. Pointed weapons are often suitable for horseback use as well and common types include spears, pikes and lances. Most pointed weapons are long, allowing the soldier to remain at a distance from their target. High quality pointed weapons will be able to cause damage even when the opponent is heavily armoured. Pointed weaponsĪs the name suggests, pointed weapons are designed with a thrusting action in mind and the aim of inflicting penetrating trauma and damage. Melee weapons come in a diverse range of shapes and sizes but usually fall into one of the three following categories: 1. It was much quicker and easier to train foot soldiers to use the Crossbow than the longbow.Read more about: Medieval History The longest sieges in medieval history.Crossbows were easier to load than longbows although the longbow was more effective.Medieval Crossbowmen found it easier to learn how to use a Crossbow than the longbow.The steel crossbow increases the firing range of the Crossbow from 400 to 500 yards.The French regularly hired mercenary Crossbowmen in their battles.The Crossbow was widely used by mercenaries since the 13th century.The Pope banned Crossbow use against Christians although no one took any notice.Two famous kings were killed by crossbow bolts, William Rufus and Richard the Lionheart.The Normans used crossbows at the Battle of Hastings.A throwing engine was similar to a Crossbow but much larger and confused with the crossbow.From the 13th century, medieval crossbows were made of a composite material of wood, horn, and sinew.Early medieval crossbows were usually made from wood.The winding mechanism used on a Crossbow was called a windlass.The Crossbow was also known as the Arbalest and the Balista (Latin).As the medieval period progressed many advancements were made to the Crossbow.Early crossbows were used by the T’ang dynasty in China and the Romans.The hands and feet were used to load earlier medieval crossbows.The Crossbow used a winding mechanism to draw back the string.The Crossbow was not commonly used in England in the early medieval period but it was used in later periods, in battle Medieval Crossbowmen would load and fire off a bolt or quarrel that fitted into the groove on the stock of the Crossbow at the enemy. The French for example hired Genoese Crossbowmen in various medieval battles including the Battle of Crécy. The Normans used crossbows in the Battle of Hastings and they were often used by mercenaries who could be hired by medieval armies as Medieval longbowmen were. Later in the medieval period, steel crossbows were made and this was one of the best advancements because it increased the firing range of the crossbow to around 400 to 500 yards and increased the power of the bolt fired, during this period the Crossbow came into its own as a Medieval weapon. Mechanical devices such as the goat’s lever which was a type of pulley, the windlass which was a winding device, and the cranequin were invented. Medieval Crossbows existed before the Medieval period and there is historical evidence of them being used in the ancient world by Chinese and Roman warriors.Įarly crossbows were not as advanced as the later medieval crossbows and had to be drawn back by using the foot to hold the bow in place whilst drawing back the string with the hands.Īdvancements in the Design of Medieval Crossbowsĭifferent mechanical devices were invented to make the loading of bolts into the Crossbow much easier by drawing back the string, these advancements continued throughout history. The Medieval Crossbow is fairly small compared to longbows but the design is thicker and more solid, they had a small wooden stock which the Crossbowmen could hold comfortably, because they were fairly small they were easy to handle. ![]() The string was released by a trigger on the Crossbow, this trigger when retracted the nut that was holding the string in place when pulled and in turn, fired the bolt.
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