Middle Ages

Question 1

KEY WEAPONS USED IN THE MIDDLE AGES (1000-1500)

Answer 1

• Swords
• Longbows
• Pikes/Spears
• Crossbows

Question 2

Advantages of Swords

Answer 2

Designed to thrust between joints of metal plate armour

Question 3

Disadvantages of Swords

Answer 3

Only for close range hand-to-hand combat

Question 4

Advantages of Longbows

Answer 4

Range of around 350 metres, very accurate, skilled person could shoot 8-12 arrows per minute

Question 5

Disadvantages of Longbows

Answer 5

Only truly accurate up to 200 metres, need training and strength to use

Question 6

Advantages of Pikes/Spears

Answer 6

Can form schiltrons and impenetrable walls/circles around soldiers

Question 7

Disadvantages of Pikes/Spears

Answer 7

Little use in hand-to-hand combat , hard to control (very long)

Question 8

Advantages of Crossbows

Answer 8

Fire bolts with very large force

Question 9

Disadvantages of Crossbows

Answer 9

Hard to draw back, slow fire rate (often only 2 bolts per minute)

Question 10

Who were the Infantry?

Answer 10

Soldiers that fought on foot, e.g archers, spearmen

Question 10

Who were the Cavalry?

Answer 10

Soldiers that fought on horses ,e.g knights

Question 10

Reasons why the composition of armies changed in the Middle Ages:

Answer 10

• Archers became more significant (specifically longbowmen)

- Cavalry became less significant (longbowmen able to shoot them easily)

Question 10

What was an Indenture?

Answer 10

A contract the king made with a knight for their military service

Question 11

What was a Feudal Summons?

Answer 11

A summoning of all noblemen and their citizens to fight for the king for a 40 day period. (The noblemen owed the king for the land they had been given)

Question 12

What was a General Summons?

Answer 12

An appeal to all knights asking them to volunteer to fight to show loyalty (Most hoped for a reward)

Question 13

Disadvantages of Indentures:

Answer 13

• The king had to pay people in return

- A lot of paperwork

Question 14

Disadvantages of Feudal Summons’:

Answer 14

• Only there for the 40 day period (most wars lasted longer)
• Some noblemen just payed a fee to not go to war (like a ticket)
• No way of telling whether all of the men actually showed up, most didn’t

Question 15

Disadvantages of General Summons’

Answer 15

• No direct payment

- Some soldiers had bad motivations for doing it (just to loot/kill)

Question 16

How did recruitment impact civilians?

Answer 16

• Feudal Summons forced them to fight for the king and Assize of Arms
• Some people deserted battles, refused to serve
• No more than 10% of adult male population were directly involved in foreign war at a time

Question 17

How did the cost of warfare impact civilians?

Answer 17

• Kings raised taxes to pay for wars (e.g doubled between 1377-1422)
• Purveyance= requisitioning(forcibly gathering) food/supplies from civilians
• Took goods/ships for transport from locals (e.g seized 700 ships in 1346 for the Crecy Campaign

Question 18

How did fighting impact civilians?

Answer 18

• Armies raided towns in enemy territory (plundering), stole supplies/goods
• Soldiers sometimes kidnapped civilians to hold for ransom to get money(e.g in 1380, 168 civilians were taken in Bergerac (France) and forced to pay for their freedom)

Question 19

What were the benefits of war for civilians?

Answer 19

• Good wages (archer got 6p a day, 3 times the average labourer’s)
• Soldiers able to share ransom money/goods from raids(plundering)
• Benefits from making products used in war (weapons, clothing)

Question 20

When was the Battle of Falkirk and who was King of England at the time?

Answer 20

1298, King Edward I

Question 21

Who was England facing in the Battle of Falkirk and who led the army?

Answer 21

Scotland, William Wallace (a Scottish noblemen/ military leader fighting for control over Scotland)

Question 22

Who won the Battle of Falkirk and why?

Answer 22

England, because they had a lot of longbowmen that were able to shoot through Scotland’s schiltrons and King Edward I was able to change the plan in the middle of battle

Question 23

When was the Battle of Agincourt and who was King of England at the time?

Answer 23

1415 (during the Hundred Years War), King Henry V

Question 24

Who were England against in the Battle of Agincourt , how many were there in their army and how many losses did they have?

Answer 24

France, around 30,000 soldiers, 6000 lost

Question 25

How many soldiers did England have during the Battle of Agincourt and how many losses were there?

Answer 25

8000 (mainly archers), 400 lost