Medieval Devastators
The period of 1000 years in Europe between the 5th and 15th centuries was the time known as the Medieval Ages. During this time, most of Europe was under the control despotic feudal overlords, and the land was infested with pestilence and war. Living under the threat of invasions from foreigners, the people of Europe developed a different kind of weaponry. These weapons were found very useful to the Europeans, and devastated their enemies. This paper will examine three weapons designed in the Medieval Ages: the dagger, the rapier, and the morning star.
Appearing in the early 6th century, the dagger became a worldwide weapon. Ranging in sizes from 13 to 17 inches, the dagger was an arm auxiliary to the sword. Being the sword's accompaniment, the dagger would parry the attacks by the enemy's sword. In combat, the dagger's use was not only to parry but also to attack. The dagger's design of a sharp and lethal tip made it an essential weapon for stabbing rather than the sword's common use of slicing an d cutting. Also because of the dagger's thin but sturdy blade, it was a perfect weapon for piercing through the joints of armor. Another use of the dagger was to break the blade of the opposing sword by crossing the dagger blade with the sword blade, and then quickly pulling the dagger handle up. Having so much pressure applied to the blade of the sword, the sword blade would simply snap in two. The use of the dagger with the traditional sword enhanced hand-to-hand combat for Medieval Europeans.
Through its long history, the rapier was a weapon of choice for gentlemen rather than soldiers. Originating in the 14th century in France, it became a popular weapon used not only in France, but in Germany, Italy, and Spain. The word "rapier" comes from the Spanish term, espada ropera, meaning "sword of the robes" which symbolized its use with civilians rather than armored soldiers. Its unusual design marked its popularity and prosperity throughout the Medieval times and even in the present. Its stout hilt and elongated blade made the rapier an excellent offensive and defensive weapon. Its wide blade, usually 1 ½ to 2 inches wide, made the rapier virtually unsnappable. When dueling or fighting with the rapier, fencing styles were used.
The first sword used for fencing during this time was the broadsword. The broadsword was a large, double-bladed sword that was hard to use due to it’s heavyweight (Andrew 53). With the broadsword, came the sword-and-buckler technique. The sword-and-buckler technique involved using large, powerful slashes with the broadsword, and blocking with the buckler (a small shield strapped onto the forearm (Olsen 34). In the beginning of the 16th century, the rapier was introduced to fencing (Andrew 53). Unlike the thick and large broadsword, the rapier was thin light, long and maneuverable. With the rapier, a dagger was used for parrying and the rapier was used for attacking (Olsen 35). Later in the century, the dagger was replaced with a gauntlet due to gauntlet’s effectiveness in
Firearms: A Global History to 1700 provides a knowledgeable narrative on why there were such stark differences between the militaries of Europe and Asia, as well as other societies in and around the Oikoumene. This monograph will appeal to anyone interested in learning about the development of firearms and its close relationship with
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.
European knights wore armor that is made of metal. Due to the metal armor, their whole body was protected very well, and yet it was too heavy. In addition, it sometimes even limited knight’s vision and breathing ability because of the large protection of the helmet. In contrast, samurai’s armor was very light compared to the knight’s. “Samurai wore armor that is made of leather and steel laced together with silk cords.” Therefore, samurai was able to move quickly and agilely. However, samurai’s armor had less protection for their body, making them more vulnerable than knights. Their weapons had some differences as well. The primary weapons of knights were the long lance and the sword, but they also used poleaxe, dagger, and mace. The sword was always the foundational weapon of knights, whereas, the sword was not the one of the major weapons for samurais. Samurais primarily used the bow and arrow and the Yari that is, “One of the Japanese traditional blades in the form of a
Cipolla, Carlo M. Guns, sails and empires; technological innovation and the early phases of European expansion, 1400-1700. Manhattan, Kan. : Sunflower University Press, 1985.
For instance, a few swords (the sword is a very important weapon during the Elizabethan era) were utilized as a part of a pushing movement, while some different swords were utilized as a part of a striking movement. In any case, swords were not by any means the only weapons of this time. There were bows and bolts, and also the weapons that knights utilized as a part of fight, and even some early guns discovered their roots in the Elizabethan era.
as thought it was an axe. It would hack away until the head came off. After all the chopping, the blade would often become dull. Throughout the revolution the blade was changed, it became angled. The angling of the blade helped to kill faster. It would not become dull as quickly and it would slice straight through without having to chop. The blade was made from steel and weighed about 40 kgs. To work the blade it was pulled to the top of the contraption then released with the cord to give it a quick reaction. With the quickness of the blade it was estimated that it took about .75th of a second to be guillotined.
One sword that was used in the revolutionary war was called “The Hanger”. The hanger was equipped with a blade that was very long, and the blade had a curve to it. The hanger had a short metal pommel which ...
A popular ancient Japanese saying states that “The sword is the soul of the warrior.” (Buchanan 120) The warrior in the proverb pertains to the samurai of feudal Japan and the sword refers to their most prominent weapon, the Katana. An ancient blade made through a complicated forging process, the Katana is truly a work of art. Also known as the Japanese long sword or the samurai sword, the Katana is a curved, single-edged blade with ridges along its exterior. It is primarily used as a weapon to cut down or slash its foes (Robinson 28). The ridges along the blade, called the hamon, divides the soft metal components, the shingane, from the hadagane of the hard metal components used to forge the sword to give it its trademark razor sharp edge and flexibility (Turnbull 12). The blade of the Katana is around sixty to seventy centimeters in length and is often likened to the arc of the new moon. With its signature curved edge and its fusion of hard and soft metals, the Katana is considered to be the greatest offensive weapon ever created (O’Neill 114,116). It is a hallmark of Japanese sword history and is a noteworthy aspect of Japanese craftsmanship. The Japanese Katana is an important symbol of Japanese culture whose significance must be asserted.
When the joust came to represent the horsemanship of the fighter, safeguards evolved. The lance was fitted with a three pronged tip called a coronal, which was designed to keep the weapon from penetrating a knights helm and to re-distribute the force of the impact. Also, armor was developed specifically for the joust.
He drew it / From its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt, / And then, savage, now, angry / And desperate, lifted it high over his head / And struck with all the strength he had left (Raffel 530-8)
same sword that Claudius was killed with. Both men are able to accomplish what they set
When we take a look back at all of the Crusades that took place in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries, we see that the Crusades brought many new ideas and inventions to the rest of the world. Most of the contributions that the Crusades have made have been to warfare, arms and armor. The weapon has evolved over time and began with “the rock and the club proceeded through the sling and boomerang, bow and arrow, sword and axe, to gunpowder weapons of the rifle and machine gun of the late nineteenth century” . Throughout the Crusades we saw the introduction to new ideas such as siege towers, fortifications, pitched battles, ranged weapons, polearms, and blunt hand weapons. The question that I will be focusing on throughout my paper will be, how the warfare of the Middle Ages, specifically the Crusades, impact warfare of the modern day? I will be looking at both the Muslims and the Christians and will be covering the time period from 1000-1300.
At the beginning of the 17th century imperialization was all the rage for European countries. Europe, who started industrialization, was the most advanced continent on earth. With the production of more and more products, resources were needed. EXpeditions of other continents lead to the findings of many resources that would prove to be very useful to the Europeans. These other continents didn’t take too kindly to the idea of Europeans taking their stuff, but Aa the time Europe the most advanced weaponry in the world and they were not afraid to use it.
War was important to make the civilizations expand. Fist of all, the kings needed a good army with the best weapons they can get. To win battles, they used cavalries and a larger army near the borders of cities. In ancient times, the sword is a famous weapon because there were no enough mortars and guns back then. Some swords that were invented are the claymore which is the traditional long sword with a long handle used for more powerful attacks. For instance, the saber was popular because it had a curved single-edged blade and was long. It would be used in a heavy cavalry. There were also bows that can be used like a ballista which has a long, strong arrow with enough force to destroy an army. Reloading was a hassle so it was greater in large numbers. Knights first used chain mail and then moved on to plate armor which was strong enough to resist a sword slash.