Executive summary about Medieval Weaponry by Lise Hull
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. 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. 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. During the early Middle Ages, double-edged swords, axes and metal-headed spears dominated. Simple to construct and easy to wield, these weapons remained popular, in various forms, throughout the Middle Ages.
As the first millennium approached, new and more devastating weapons appeared. Known in Norman Europe, the crossbow probably developed alongside one of the earliest forms of siege engine, the ballista. During the 12th century, the three most prevalent weapons were the sword, the battle-axe and the spear, however, the crossbow rapidly gained popularity. Combined with the increased prevalence of horse warfare and the introduction of massive siege engines, these hand-held weapons allowed invaders like the
Siege engines were critical participants during any major onslaught on a castle. Types of this include the ballista, the mangonel, and the trebuchet.
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. Though the cannon and handguns rapidly gained popularity, the simpler weapons remained in the monarch's arsenal during the late Middle Ages.
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