Trebuchet Essay

The trebuchet was the apex of non-explosive projectile-based siege weapons to predate the cannon. The trebuchet was one of many non-explosive projectile-based siege weapons developed over the preceding 2 millennia. The largest and most powerful "nuclear option" trebuchet was known as the Loup-de-Guerre, which was Anglicized as the War Wolf.

A trebuchet is a catapult, but not all catapults are trebuchets. Other catapults include siege engines called the Onager, Mangonel, Ballista, and the Springald. The difference between trebuchets and these other catapults were the mechanics of throwing the projectile.

Non-trebuchet catapults are powered by torsion. The energy is stored in twisted animal sinew or vine-based ropes. Trebuchets are powered by a large counterweight or counterforce, which when released, falls and pulls a swing arm up and over with a sling containing the projectile. At the right angle the sling is released sending the projectile to the target. In its simplest form, a trebuchet is a lever.

Trebuchets were first used in China

as far back as 2300 years ago. They were then brought to Europe by the Mongol and Muslim armies in the early 1000’s. Many sieges could employ up to several hundred trebuchets of various sizes. It was the “go to” weapon when you needed to breach castle or city walls.
The largest trebuchet, as mentioned earlier, was the War Wolf.

This was created by King Edward "Longshanks" in 1302 to lay siege to Scotland's, Sterling Castle. The Scottish defenders refused his surrender demands, until the War Wolf was built and completed within sight of them. They surrendered immediately after seeing it nearing the end of its construction. However, their surrender was not accepted, seeing as King Edward wished to test its capabilities since they had made him build it. This trebuchet is thought to have been able to throw a 300 lb. object over 200 yards. Modern day engineers theorize that the projectile would have reached speeds of 120 mph as it was propelled by a 15 to 20 ton counterweight, with a frame that was 400 ft. tall. After firing it several times and destroying entire buildings and sections of wall, King Edward accepted the Scotts' surrender. This was literally the "nuclear option" of the Middle

Ages.
The War Wolf was the largest trebuchet built, but full-scale use of trebuchets as siege weapons continued for another hundred years or so. Gunpowder was being introduced to Europe in the early 1300’s and used in a new siege weapons, called “cannon”. By the year 1400 or so, cannon had begun replacing trebuchets as the weapon of choice to reduce castle walls. They were smaller and easier to transport. Cannon became the primary weapon, relegating trebuchets to a secondary status. However, trebuchets are making a comeback today as science projects, educational tools, and even protest devices. Trebuchets have been employed in areas such as in the Ukrainian riots of 2014, and by Syrians rebels in 2013 to throw explosives at government forces.