The battering ram was one of the most famous of the medieval weapons. The battering ram ram was known for being used in vikings raidings and during the middle ages. Its simplest form was basically just a long log carried by several people. The battering ram was made out of tree trunks, particularly oak ash and fir were used, and a metal head. It was used to literally pound, batter, punch and brake down gates, doors, walls of medieval castles and towns. It proved to an effective weapon because old fashioned wall building materials were such as stone and brick were weak in tension. With several blows, the cracks would grow and eventually turn into a hole. Later in the middle ages the introduction to cannons had made the usage of battering rams
much lower and they eventually stopped using them, however today much smaller versions are used by law enforcement officers and military personnel to bash open locked doors.
The Met museum said that the most popular used weapons were “spear, sword, axe, and the bow and arrow.” These weapons and tactics of fighting then became the backbone of weapons today, such as guns. Spears, bows and arrows allow knights to fight from a distance, such as hand grenades and guns used in today’s military.
Long distance weapons were essential to European combat. The main long distance weapons used by Europeans during that time were the longbow and the crossbow. Each form of weaponry had its unique advantages and their pejorative. The long bow (shown in figure 1) was the original form of distance weapons. The term ‘bow’ means to be made from wood, iron or steel. The Welsh, who inhabited England, were the first people to use longbows. Longbows were 6-7 feet long and had a range of 250 yards, and still had the ability to pierce a knight’s armor (Byam 12). A well trained archer could shot 10- 12 arrows in a single minute. Despite these pro’s the longbow had a lot of disadvantages as well. One draw back was only skilled archers, who were costly to train, could use a longbow. Another disadvantage was it didn’t have a ready loaded arrow (Edge 34). The crossbow (shown in figure 2) on the other had been emphatically different. The crossbow had a span of 2-3 feet and could kill a knight on horseback with one shot, because of good aim (Byam 30). Crossbows had ready loaded projectiles, while the longbow didn’t and the crossbow could be used by anyone since it didn’t require any skill. The crossbow did have a down side though, it had slow reloaded because of a crank and it was expensive. Crossbows were also used for other thi...
In relation to war, the most preferred weapon was the javelin, which could be used for both close combat and long range. The javelin was a highly effective weapon and it ensured that those using it were not easy to defeat. Furthermore, the javelin was often used alongside a shield, which was essential for not only blocking attacks, but also kept the enemy at bay while the javelin was used to strike. 'The horse' was also used but because of having to use both a shield and
This is a brief paragraph or two on each of the major siege weapons. For the not just the besiegers but also the defenders. Please note most of these weapons were not used alone and often had many different versions of the same weapon.
Many people may have heard of the story of Beowulf, but not know who the Anglo-Saxons were. According to an article on BBC History, the term Anglo-Saxon refers to settlers from the German regions of Angeln and Saxony. The Anglo-Saxons made their way over to Britain after the fall of the Roman Empire around AD 410 and the period lasted for 600 years. During this period there where many rises and falls of bishops and kings, as well as many important battles. The Anglo-Saxon warriors had a variety of weapons and armor to defend them. This includes spears, scramaseaxes, swords, shields, helmets, and body armor.
The Field Guns, which were lightweight and easier to move, and the Siege Guns, which were much heavier and less mobile. The cannons utilize three different types of rounds. The rounds were solid shot, grapeshot, and canister. Solid shot rounds were used for structures, buildings, and ships. The grapeshot, which was a canvas bag of lead or iron balls, was ideal for long range personnel.
Is the sword mentioned only in Beowulf or is it a common element in all Anglo-Saxon
One of the battle formations that Norse warriors formed was called the “svinfylking” (boar formation). The svinfylking was a battle formation where a group of heavily armed warriors (usually 20 to 30) would interlock their shields to form a wedge that had the center pointing towards the enemy's formation. The triangular wedge tapered back on each side from the center point to make a tight spearhead. The Viking warriors would get in a “boar formation” wedge and then charge forward in this tight interlocked formation, spearheading into the enemy's line and breaking through by sheer force alone. Much like a boar’s charge. The sheer force of this charge was tenacious enough that wedge would punch a hole right through the opposing force's shield wall formation. Spearheading through the enemy's formation in this “boar formation” would spread panic in the enemy and break their lines, turning the battle in favor for the Norseman. Several boar wedge formations could also be grouped side by side forming a zigzag line pattern against the enemy's line and break through their ranks.
In this essay, I will uncover the countless insights that can be learned about the characters in Beowulf, as well as the society as a whole, based on the weapons the characters choose to use in battle. During the Anglo-Saxon time, roughly between 400 and 1066, swords were considered the most precious weapon someone could own. Although it is not certain who wrote Beowulf, and when, many people believe it was composed in the middle to end of the Anglo-Saxon period. Analyzing the different weapons, and significance of each, in Beowulf, and comparing them to the weaponry at the time, provides the readers with a great deal of insight into the society during this period. The use of weapons in Beowulf not only provides the readers with insight into
The Vikings had many useful weapons they used during attack. They mostly used swords and axes. Swords would be handed down from father to son. Although, Vikings also buried weapons with their holder when he died. Vikings relied on round wooden shield for protection. They also wore ...
In the joust the knight used the lance, a weapon specifically designed for mounted combat. At first jousters would simply spur their horses towards one another, weapons ready, each attempting to knock each other off there horses. If a knight was knocked to the ground, his battle was as good as lost. For the mounted warrior could run him down, trample him with his horse, or spear him with his lance; all while out of reach of the land bound fighter.
Up until the collapse of the Bronze Age, warfare was ruled by a chariot elite, who used their mobile platforms to better their enemies, either as battle taxis or as mobile archery platforms.2 These tactics were effective and utilized the weapons of their time effectively. However, it was around the time of the Bronze Age collapse that the slashing sword came into popularity. This weapon gave infantry an advantage over their restricted opponents, who could only stab with their pointed weapons. Coupled with the javelins ability to cripple horses and stop chariots, this new sword enabled less experienced warriors to fight more effectively.2 A swarm of infantry equipped with these weapons could therefore defeat a typical Bronze Age army of soldiers and chariots with relative
The most commonly used weapons in ancient weapons as siege engines were battering rams, catapults, and assault ladders. Battering rams were most commonly used because of their protection that they allowed to hide behind and also because of their use in taking down a castle wall (Siege Engines). Assault ladders were ladders that were used to scale the walls of the castle so that they could enter into the castle. A huge disadvantage was the enemy could push the ladders away and the enemy would shoot arrows at them as they were trying to enter. The advantages of the catapult ended up overpowering the advantages of other siege weapons. Some of these advantages included being able to shoot a projectile from long distances, a large amount of damage, and relatively unskilled laborers to operate a machine. The bulk amount of people affiliated with catapults only helped to move and wind up the machine. There was a soldier in charge of positioning and how far back the catapult should be in relation to the castle. Most catapults launched large rocks, arrows, diseased cows, and explosives as the century went on. During Medieval ages castles starte...
From ancient times through the Middle Ages, and into the 13th century, man or animal power was the driving force behind hoisting devices.
Weapons have changed history and aided in the rise and fall of civilizations. Arms and Armor were taken for granted as a part of medieval daily life. “The nobility were characterized not only by their birth, but by the fact that they fought, whether it was on the battlefield or in the tournament. Given this, one can no more understand the medieval world without having an understanding of weapons and armor than one can understand European intellectual development without ever having been exposed to Aristotle”(“The “Evolution”). Weapons were mostly used for knights and nobility. "After all, swords did not get sharper, stronger, or especially more effective after the Middle Ages. They did not evolve as guns did to become more accurate, of longer range, and with faster rates of fire with each successive generation." (Clements ). These weapons and armour influenced the medieval era and began to