Few armies had an answer to a longbow’s withering fire. The bows were also used to devastating effect during the Wars of Scottish Independence. In several notable battles during the Hundred Years’ War, English longbowmen cut down the flower of French nobility. Probably the most famous archers in the world were the English and Welsh longbowmen. While many archers in the west used a self bow (a bow made from a single piece of wood), most of the bows in the ancient world and in eastern armies were composite bows (a bow constructed of sinew, horn, and wood, laminated together). Nearly every army from the Classical Period up to modern history have used bows in their armies (the last confirmed kill by an English longbow in battle was against the Germans in 1940).
Bowīows are one of mankind’s most ancient weapons and have been used in warfare since the dawn of history.
Their discipline and deadliness saw them fight extensively during the First Crusade and in several major battles, such as the Siege of Parma and the Battle of Crecy. Genoese crossbow mercenaries were among the most famous soldiers to use the crossbow, and they were feared across Europe. And not long afterward, they begin to replace the bows in most medieval armies.Ĭrossbows were used extensively in all aspects of warfare, from naval engagements to sieges, and even during peasant rebellions, as the weapons helped the lightly armed peasants even the odds against heavily armored knights. It’s not until the 10th century that they start to appear again in the historical record. While crossbows were used in ancient Greek and Roman siege warfare, the knowledge of their construction seems to have been lost in Europe during the Dark Ages. However, the pope actually banned the use of all missile weapons against Christians in the Second Lateran Council, as archers were included in the decision. While it was an effective weapon, it has an unearned reputation of almost legendary deadliness, since Pope Innocent II is said to have banned its use against Christians. The crossbow was a decisive weapon on medieval battlefields and was the favored ranged weapon in nearly every European army except for the English, who favored the longbow. Listed below are the five most common medieval weapons. And because of swords rarity, the most common medieval weapons aren’t what most people expect. Most of the time, they were limited to the nobility and their retainers. In fact, until the late Medieval Period, swords were incredibly rare on the battlefield. It was far more common to find a medieval soldier wielding a spear or mace, rather than a sword that could cost nearly a year’s wages. And very few of these men could afford anything but the most basic of equipment. But in reality, most of the men who fought in medieval wars were either mercenaries or common folk. When most people think of a soldier from the Middle Ages, they tend to picture a knight in shining armor, wielding a longsword.
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