Post by Sir Cormac Riley on Apr 23, 2009 16:30:53 GMT -5
Castle Learning Center: Medieval Weaponry
© 1998-2008 by Lise Hull
Every culture's arsenal is based on the technology and raw materials available at the time. Prehistoric peoples, often called the Stone Age cultures, made wide use of stone, shaping axes and grinding tools, and creating spears and arrows in order to eke out their survival. As technological skills evolved, so did the type of implements.
During the Bronze and Iron Ages, we see the development of metal tools and weapons which persisted through the Middle Ages, albeit dramatically altered over time. Finally, the appearance of gunpowder in Europe in the early 14th century brought about the obsolescence of many weapons - and made the castle useless as well.
While the castle was, arguably, the most formidable weapon of medieval warfare, generally when we think of weapons we think of something much smaller, movable, and able to wreak havoc and death on an opponent. Consequently, while the castle played a key role in the deaths of many people during the Middle Ages, it falls into a category of its own and will not be included in this discussion of medieval weaponry.
During the early Middle Ages, double-edged swords, axes and metal-headed spears dominated. Short bows and arrows were also used. Interestingly, the Saxons considered the value of a sword to be the equivalent of 120 oxen or 15 male slaves, and any man possessing a sword had great status. Simple to construct and easy to wield, these weapons remained popular, in various forms, throughout the Middle Ages.
By the 9th century, the Vikings adopted another formidable weapon - the battle-axe, with its trumpet-shaped blade and wreaked all sorts of havoc with these heavy axes.
As the first millennium approached, new and more devastating weapons appeared. First and foremost was the crossbow, a vicious device still used in modern times. Known in Norman Europe, the crossbow probably developed alongside one of the earliest forms of siege engine, the ballista. So destructive was the crossbow that the Church banned its use in 1139. But, the decree did not deter advocates of this mighty weapon. Indeed, the most prized members of a castle's garrison were those who wielded the lofty crossbow.
During the 12th century, the three most prevalent weapons were the sword, the battle-axe and the spear (or lance), however, the crossbow rapidly gained popularity. Combined with the increased prevalence of horse warfare (which eased movement and gave an advantage to its warring riders who carried spears) and the introduction of massive siege engines, these hand-held weapons allowed invaders like the Normans to overawe less technologically-advanced peoples.
The peasants, on the other hand, generally fought back with the only weapons in their possession: the tools that they used to till their fields and tend their homes - hayforks, flails, sickles, axes, clubs with spikes, and boar-spears. Interestingly, these same tools eventually became an integral part of the weapons inventory of most armies.
Siege engines were critical participants during any major onslaught on a castle. Catapulting stone missiles or huge arrows, these massive machines pounded the thick masonry walls. Yet, on their own, siege engines often were inadequate to bring down a fortress. So, other tactics were employed at the same time as the siege engines were pummeling the walls, including undermining, whereby sappers dug mines, or tunnels, underneath towers. The mines created instability and caused the structures to topple. A battering ram was sometimes used. It had a sharpened end, and the object was to break away stones to achieve some kind of breach in the walls. Its primary use though, was against doors. Types of siege engine include the ballista, the mangonel, and the trebuchet.
The trebuchet was introduced to England by Louis of France in the 13th century. The basic design was a long arm pivoting on an axle at the summit of a high frame. The shorter end of the long arm carried enormous containers of earth and rubble weighing many tons as a counterweight. Lead was also sometimes used. The longer end, called the "verge", was winched down to ground level against the pull of the counterweight by a system of winches. This end carried the projectile, or missile, in either a sthingy or sling which, when released, hurled its projectile in a high trajectory to a range which could be adjusted by a sliding counterweight on the longer arm.
Cut stones were sometimes used as the projectile, weighing as much as 300 lbs. The standard weight of the stones were 60 to 100 lbs. Ten of these stones could be produced a day by a single stone cutter. Stones found at Pevensey Castle weighed 240 lbs. The range of the trebuchet appears to have been about 500 yards, with deadly accuracy. Other projectiles known to have been thrown by the trebuchet included paving stones, dead horses, pots of quick lime, and scraps of iron.
The mangonel was introduced to the Normans by the Byzantines. This siege engine was used for a century after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and it is also referred to as a Mangon. It consisted of a heavy frame which supported a long arm with a cup or sling at the free end. The other extremity passed through a ropes, called a skein, stretched between upright posts. The ropes would be twisted by capstans, called capitals, and then the free end was pulled down by a winch or windlass. When it was in a horizontal position the arm would locked into position and the cup or sling would be loaded with a stone or incendiary material. The arm would be released and it flew up by the whip effect until it hit a horizontal padded stop between the upright arms of the frame. The projectile would have a low inaccurate trajectory. The range would have been around 200 yards.
A ballista was a siege engine in the form of a large bow which shot heavy arrows or stones. The range was about 400 yards throwing a stone of 60 lbs. Its power was also derived from twisted ropes, called skeins.
From inside a castle's walls, soldiers had a somewhat restricted selection of weapons to use to defend their lord and his fortress. In addition to arrows, the garrison frequently threw down stone missiles, crushing invaders. They also relied upon "Greek fire", a volatile combination of petroleum and oil and other natural products, which generated a highly flammable substance that burned on water and was excruciatingly hot. Apparently, Greek fire was used to make incendiary arrows, but could also be blown through tubes.
The 13th century saw the modification of swords, which could then rend a knight's protective armor. Short stabbing daggers were also used, as were a variety of axes (some of which were equipped with spikes), clubs, maces, spears, crossbows, and the sling. The most significant development of weapons technology during this century was the longbow, mastered by the Welsh decades earlier.
During the early 14th century, the course of weapons technology was forever changed with the introduction of gunpowder, which made possible the development of cannons and guns. Initially, cannons were designed as long metal cylinders and fired "gun-arrows", but they quickly evolved into versatile killing-machines which could launch balls weighing 200 pounds. Over the next 100 years, these metal monsters became more mobile and more accurate. And, resembling miniature cannons, small handguns also made their appearance at this time.
Though the cannon and handguns rapidly gained popularity, the simpler weapons remained in the monarch's arsenal during the late Middle Ages. Blunt and sharp-headed lances were used in "jousts of peace" (tournaments) and "jousts of war." And, swords, axes, maces, and hammers with spikes never disappeared from the medieval weapons inventory.
Clearly, the introduction of gunpowder had a fateful and permanent impact on the development of weapons during history. The Middle Ages served as an era of transformation as primitive technologies gave way to more creative ways to obliterate an enemy.
(( OOC Editor's note: Balatine does not typically use weapons that involve gunpowder.))
© 1998-2008 by Lise Hull
Every culture's arsenal is based on the technology and raw materials available at the time. Prehistoric peoples, often called the Stone Age cultures, made wide use of stone, shaping axes and grinding tools, and creating spears and arrows in order to eke out their survival. As technological skills evolved, so did the type of implements.
During the Bronze and Iron Ages, we see the development of metal tools and weapons which persisted through the Middle Ages, albeit dramatically altered over time. Finally, the appearance of gunpowder in Europe in the early 14th century brought about the obsolescence of many weapons - and made the castle useless as well.
While the castle was, arguably, the most formidable weapon of medieval warfare, generally when we think of weapons we think of something much smaller, movable, and able to wreak havoc and death on an opponent. Consequently, while the castle played a key role in the deaths of many people during the Middle Ages, it falls into a category of its own and will not be included in this discussion of medieval weaponry.
During the early Middle Ages, double-edged swords, axes and metal-headed spears dominated. Short bows and arrows were also used. Interestingly, the Saxons considered the value of a sword to be the equivalent of 120 oxen or 15 male slaves, and any man possessing a sword had great status. Simple to construct and easy to wield, these weapons remained popular, in various forms, throughout the Middle Ages.
By the 9th century, the Vikings adopted another formidable weapon - the battle-axe, with its trumpet-shaped blade and wreaked all sorts of havoc with these heavy axes.
As the first millennium approached, new and more devastating weapons appeared. First and foremost was the crossbow, a vicious device still used in modern times. Known in Norman Europe, the crossbow probably developed alongside one of the earliest forms of siege engine, the ballista. So destructive was the crossbow that the Church banned its use in 1139. But, the decree did not deter advocates of this mighty weapon. Indeed, the most prized members of a castle's garrison were those who wielded the lofty crossbow.
During the 12th century, the three most prevalent weapons were the sword, the battle-axe and the spear (or lance), however, the crossbow rapidly gained popularity. Combined with the increased prevalence of horse warfare (which eased movement and gave an advantage to its warring riders who carried spears) and the introduction of massive siege engines, these hand-held weapons allowed invaders like the Normans to overawe less technologically-advanced peoples.
The peasants, on the other hand, generally fought back with the only weapons in their possession: the tools that they used to till their fields and tend their homes - hayforks, flails, sickles, axes, clubs with spikes, and boar-spears. Interestingly, these same tools eventually became an integral part of the weapons inventory of most armies.
Siege engines were critical participants during any major onslaught on a castle. Catapulting stone missiles or huge arrows, these massive machines pounded the thick masonry walls. Yet, on their own, siege engines often were inadequate to bring down a fortress. So, other tactics were employed at the same time as the siege engines were pummeling the walls, including undermining, whereby sappers dug mines, or tunnels, underneath towers. The mines created instability and caused the structures to topple. A battering ram was sometimes used. It had a sharpened end, and the object was to break away stones to achieve some kind of breach in the walls. Its primary use though, was against doors. Types of siege engine include the ballista, the mangonel, and the trebuchet.
The trebuchet was introduced to England by Louis of France in the 13th century. The basic design was a long arm pivoting on an axle at the summit of a high frame. The shorter end of the long arm carried enormous containers of earth and rubble weighing many tons as a counterweight. Lead was also sometimes used. The longer end, called the "verge", was winched down to ground level against the pull of the counterweight by a system of winches. This end carried the projectile, or missile, in either a sthingy or sling which, when released, hurled its projectile in a high trajectory to a range which could be adjusted by a sliding counterweight on the longer arm.
Cut stones were sometimes used as the projectile, weighing as much as 300 lbs. The standard weight of the stones were 60 to 100 lbs. Ten of these stones could be produced a day by a single stone cutter. Stones found at Pevensey Castle weighed 240 lbs. The range of the trebuchet appears to have been about 500 yards, with deadly accuracy. Other projectiles known to have been thrown by the trebuchet included paving stones, dead horses, pots of quick lime, and scraps of iron.
The mangonel was introduced to the Normans by the Byzantines. This siege engine was used for a century after the Norman Conquest in 1066, and it is also referred to as a Mangon. It consisted of a heavy frame which supported a long arm with a cup or sling at the free end. The other extremity passed through a ropes, called a skein, stretched between upright posts. The ropes would be twisted by capstans, called capitals, and then the free end was pulled down by a winch or windlass. When it was in a horizontal position the arm would locked into position and the cup or sling would be loaded with a stone or incendiary material. The arm would be released and it flew up by the whip effect until it hit a horizontal padded stop between the upright arms of the frame. The projectile would have a low inaccurate trajectory. The range would have been around 200 yards.
A ballista was a siege engine in the form of a large bow which shot heavy arrows or stones. The range was about 400 yards throwing a stone of 60 lbs. Its power was also derived from twisted ropes, called skeins.
From inside a castle's walls, soldiers had a somewhat restricted selection of weapons to use to defend their lord and his fortress. In addition to arrows, the garrison frequently threw down stone missiles, crushing invaders. They also relied upon "Greek fire", a volatile combination of petroleum and oil and other natural products, which generated a highly flammable substance that burned on water and was excruciatingly hot. Apparently, Greek fire was used to make incendiary arrows, but could also be blown through tubes.
The 13th century saw the modification of swords, which could then rend a knight's protective armor. Short stabbing daggers were also used, as were a variety of axes (some of which were equipped with spikes), clubs, maces, spears, crossbows, and the sling. The most significant development of weapons technology during this century was the longbow, mastered by the Welsh decades earlier.
During the early 14th century, the course of weapons technology was forever changed with the introduction of gunpowder, which made possible the development of cannons and guns. Initially, cannons were designed as long metal cylinders and fired "gun-arrows", but they quickly evolved into versatile killing-machines which could launch balls weighing 200 pounds. Over the next 100 years, these metal monsters became more mobile and more accurate. And, resembling miniature cannons, small handguns also made their appearance at this time.
Though the cannon and handguns rapidly gained popularity, the simpler weapons remained in the monarch's arsenal during the late Middle Ages. Blunt and sharp-headed lances were used in "jousts of peace" (tournaments) and "jousts of war." And, swords, axes, maces, and hammers with spikes never disappeared from the medieval weapons inventory.
Clearly, the introduction of gunpowder had a fateful and permanent impact on the development of weapons during history. The Middle Ages served as an era of transformation as primitive technologies gave way to more creative ways to obliterate an enemy.
(( OOC Editor's note: Balatine does not typically use weapons that involve gunpowder.))