Bows & Guns

Question 1

what is the sling/staff sling?

Answer 1

• leather or cloth loaded w/ rock
• spun in a circle & released
• sometimes on the end of a stick to inc. velocity
• primarily used by animal herders

Question 2

what is the self-bow/longbow?

Answer 2

• made from a single piece of wood (yew, elm, & ash)
• used by Ostrogoths & Germanic tribes
• Charlemagne (13th c.) declared bows should be a common infantry weapon
• imported staves to produce better wood in 14th-15th c. (sapwood & heartwood)

Question 3

what do we (not) know about short bows from the 11th-13th c.?

Answer 3

• lack of evidence suggests they were not used (based on artistic portrayls)
• Carolingians & Vikings used 2m bows
• draw to the chest (have to be stronger & better trained to draw to ear)

Question 4

why did archers become important & effective ca.1300 if not through technology?

Answer 4

• largely English phenomenon
• issue of necessity & training rather then technological advancement
• many campaigns w/ large armies allowed for investment, training, & practice
• numbers made them more effective

Question 5

what is the significance of arrows?

Answer 5

• aspen or ash w/ steel heads
• heavy arrows have less range but greater penetrating power
• broad arrows used for hunting
• slender bodkins used to penetrate chainmail
• a good archer can fire 20 arrows per minute
• cause much damage to remove
• copper sulfate used in manufacturing to act as poison in a wound

Question 6

what is the significance of of the longbow?

Answer 6

• considered lower class (archers well paid but not socially equal to knights)
• barrage of arrows could be used as cover for infantry or cavalry (break ranks & create gaps)

Question 7

what were the advantages & disadvantages of bows?

Answer 7

advantages:

• rapid fire most effective in battle & could be used in sieges
• another volley in the air before the first even reached the target

disadvantages:

• requires strength & training (encouraged from childhood)
• all Englishmen w/ sons 7+ legally required to provide them w/ a bow & arrow
• not good for the spine long-term

Question 8

what was the composite/Turkish bow?

Answer 8

• little use in Western Europe w/ some exceptions
• known to Greeks, Romans, & Near East
• made with neck tendons from Ox (far more flexible)
• shorter arms ideal for horseback
• recurve = good dist. but less penetration

Question 9

what is the significance of the crossbow?

Answer 9

• string held in advance by trigger
• yew & composite wood
• more accurate than longbows & require less training (but slower to fire)
• best used in siege warfare
• rare in early M.A.
• Second Lateran Council (1139) banned the use of crossbows against fellow Christians (demonic weapon)
• adopted as a mounted weapon in Europe in 13th c.

Question 10

how were bows spanned?

Answer 10

• stirrups to use feet to load crossbow
• winches & windlasses probably only used for longer bows designed for sieges
• cranequin (rack & pinion, 14th c.)
• Samson’s belt (pulley device)

Question 11

what were the advantages & disadvatages of bows?

Answer 11

advantages:

• easy to use & aim
• excellent siege weapon

disadvantages:

• wide open to attack while reloading

Question 12

what is the significance of guns?

Answer 12

• Greek fire & incendiary devices used in Byzantium, France & England (12th-13th c.)
• gunpowder introduced in mid-late 13th c.
• first gunds produced in 1326
• early guns were relatively cheap
• used for sieges, naval battles, coastal defence, etc.

Question 13

what were the different types of types of gunpowder artillery?

Answer 13

• cannons & bombards regularly used in sieges by the 1350s
• fired stone & lead shot
• big guns not easily portable
• became more common after battle wagons were introduced in the 1420s
• hand-held guns likely appeared in 15th c.
• culverins & hacquebutts = smaller guns that used a stand to be fired
• mortars = short guns intended to fire shells w/ high trajectory

Question 14

what were the advantages & disadvantages of guns?

Answer 14

advantages:

• ideal for siege warfare
• heavy shots could damage fortifications
• cannons could both damage & pass over city walls
• presence of large gunpowder weapons could intimidate opponents
• the quicker the surrender, the quicker they could move on to the next campaign
• velocity of bullet greater than bolt or arrow (greater range of firepower)

disadvantages:

• did not always guarantee success
• needed to recognize the threat of artillery to use it effectively
• supply of gunpowder & projectiles was sometimes a problem
• sometimes exploded
• inaccuracy & low rate of fire compared to crossbow or longbow

Question 15

what are the features & uses of gunpowder artillery?

Answer 15

• gunpowder weaponry appeared on ships by 15th c.
• anti-personnel weapons rather than primarily for attack
• made of bronze, forged-iron, & cast iron
• stone, wrought iron, cast iron, & lead shots
• rise of cast iron ammunition in 1470s
• bombards & cannons introduced in the 14th c.
• transported into battle on reinforced carts
• heavy but moveable