Medieval Bows

Bear 1st Shot Bow Set	Ages 8 And Up Economy Archery Package

The Battle of Crecy in 13...

Bows are a type of weapon that has been used for hundreds, possibly thousands of years. They have seen use in many different cultures across the entire planet and come in many variations. The typical idea of a bow is to bend a length of wood by connecting its two ends with a string. This would bow the wood and cause the string to be very tense. A projectile (arrow) could then be pulled against the string and fired.

When we think of a Medieval Bow we generally think of the English Longbow. This was a very large bow used for warfare. It could be as tall as the man holding it and could weigh as much as 100 pounds. This type of bow was very popular in the 14th and 15th centuries.

The bow itself was an effective weapon for several hundred years because it had a good range and reasonable accuracy but the bow fell out of favor as technology changed. The crossbow was a weapon that far surpassed the longbow because it had a far superior range and could be learned in much less time. A good longbowman took a long time to learn how to use his weapon effectively but a crossbowman could use his weapon with very little training.

Longbows eventually were dropped from battle as gunpowder was developed and used in firearms.

The longbow still however is used in modern day and the woods that were used have now been replaced by various composite materials that are stronger and more durable.