Medieval Warfare and Weaponry

A detailed Summary of Medieval Warfare and Weaponry

In the Middle Ages, the nobility of many cultures had large fortifications built to house a small town as well as themselves. These fortification were called castles, and they were so well defended that some historians have called it "the most formidable weapon of medieval warfare" (Hull 1). As one can imagine, conquering such a colossal structure cost much money, even more time, and many lives.

There were three main ways to infiltrate a castle; each no more common than the other two. The first way to conquer to castle is known as the siege. In a siege, an army would bar passageways into the castle, and continue to pound away at the castle's defenses until it was vulnerable to a final attack. In this form of assault, the attacking party did not have to approach the castle, as was required in a storm, the second way to attack a castle. In a siege, the ramparts of the castle were often bombarded by large projectiles from catapults. The defenders of the castle were killed off by hunger, plague, or actual weapons such as Greek fire arrows. Greek fire was a mixture comprised of highly flammable substances that was agonizingly hot. Bits of cloth were dipped into the Greek fire compound and wrap

The arrows shot from any bow were usually long, with a flat, leaf-shaped or barbed head. Feathers at the end of the arrow kept its path straight after its release from the bow. With the crossbow, shorter arrows were used; the crossbow was also capable of firing stones and darts.

"The Lateran Council of 1139 outlawed the crossbow because that weapon allowed a peasant foot soldier to kill an armored knight -- obviously not part of God's plan, the churchman felt. The band did not work; crossbows continued to knock noblemen off their steeds with great regularity." (Bova 15)

The second, more certain form of attack upon a castle was the blockade. To blockade a place was to preclude all entry and departure from the site. In doing so to a castle, one limited their food supply, for a castle, unlike a manor, could not survive unless contact with the outer world could be attained. However, starving a castle out was costly in both money and especially time. For a long while an army waited for the castle to deplete their resources, the army itself had to continue to supply themselves with such resources, and the soldiers were to be paid for their vigilant act.

Although the crossbow was powerful and more accurate with aim, one thing the weapon lacked was the ability to continuously fire rapidly. The longbow was capable of that, and this proved to be an important value in the longbow in the 1346 battle of Crecy. English longbow archers in a fixed position proved to be more useful in battle than Genoese crossbowmen fighting alongside the French.

Although it was costly and lengthy, blockade did work. Richard the Lionhearted's stronghold, the Chateau-Gaillard, which was built in only a year along the Seine River, was sacked on March 6, 1204 by blockade. The Chateau, like many great citadels, was regarded as invicible, for "the art of siegecraft had not kept pace with that of fortification" (Nofi 1). The man responsible for this zenith in French and English history was King Philip Augustus II. He set up "something more than a passive blockade, for he erected siege works and successfully stormed the outer walls" (Nofi 2). By the time the French made their final storming of the fortress, the defending army was not even two hundred men. Due to the changing of possession of the Chateau-Gaillard, Normandy's capital, Rouen, and eventually all of Normandy returned to French rule. In addition, King Philip attained control of traffic along the Seine.

Another large weapon of siege was used primarally in storms, the battering ram. In its early stages, the ram was no more than a hefty beam with a mass of metal attached to the end. Men would hoist the cumbersome boom onto their shoulders and ru

Some common words found in the essay are:
Middle Ages, Wars Edward, King Philip, Lateran Council, Scandanavian Vikings, Augustus II, Seine River, Crecy English, French Regardless, Chateau-Gaillard Normandy's, middle ages, greek fire, battering ram, castle siege, attack castle, medieval warfare, king philip, weapons archery, storming castle,

Approximate Word count = 1832
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History