The Middle Ages (500-1500A.D.), commonly referred to as the Dark Ages or the Medieval Times, was an era of growth, art, architecture, Church dominance, and a feudalistic society. Innovation and development were major aspects of this time period. Major steps were developed in the fields of warfare and medicine that drastically changed the course of history. More well-known medieval inventions and developments include the printing press and the adoption of gunpowder. However, this paper focuses on three other developments of equal importance, but lesser fame: the longbow and crossbow, metal stirrups, and quarantine.
The longbow and crossbow, or arbalest, were small and transportable, but lethal weapons used during war and were potentially the most effective. Longbows had an upper and lower wooden limb strung with hemp and were drawn by hand. Javelins or bolts were nocked above the hand and were shot long distances with great accuracy. Crossbows were derived from the longbow, were more developed, and required much less upper body strength. The Chinese originally created the weapon around 600BC, but the use of the arbalest was spread to Europe by the Normans in 1066. The weapon included a steel limb identical to the shape of a longbow, but a tiller or stock and hook was added to ease the strength needed to draw back heavier strings. A sight was added to the front of the stock to aid the archer in his aiming. Crossbows were held parallel to the ground, unlike the perpendicularly-held longbows, and shot a greater range of approximately 380-500 yards with impressive accuracy/precision. Because longbows were drawn manually, the draw weight could only be strung so high, which affects the distance at which arrows are shot. Essentially, accuracy is decreased the lighter the draw weight and the further the target. The bolts and javelins fired from the crossbow had force great enough to breach a knight’s armor and severely injure him. Using the crossbow required little or no training. During war it was convenient due to its transportability/size and ease of use. Those armed with a crossbow could shoot from behind protection and out of small holes in a castle. Firing out of a small window was easy, but required great skill on the part of the enemy to shoot into. This allowed the knight to effectively fight from safety. The weapon is nearly silent and can easily be reloaded. Typically, skilled archers double drew and were capable of shooting with both eyes while holding several arrows at once. More modern archers usually have one dominant eye and an anchor point and shoot stationary targets while grabbing one arrow at a time from a floor quiver. More primitive arrow nocks are similar to ones for recreational use today in terms of size and shape, but differ in material. Knights had the capability of speed shooting and reloading the bow quickly, unlike the majority of modern sport archers. Long, recurve, and compound bows are still used for sport or hunting. Crossbows are commonly used while hunting rather than a gun due to its silence. Battles were not won and fought by archers alone. Swordsmen and knights rode into battle on horses. Another important development used for warfare included stirrups for horsemen. The metal stirrup revolutionized fighting from horseback for mounted knights. The stirrup served as a looped platform for the rider to place his feet …show more content…
Longbows date back to before the Middle Ages but were adapted; the crossbow was the product. Methods of archery have since greatly changed. Stirrups were remade out of metal for durability and strength and revolutionized riding style and war tactics. Medical advancements were made in terms of taking preventative measures to help delay the spread of the plague. Recent cases of quarantine were initiated to prevent the spread of other contagious diseases such as Ebola, Small Pox, Cholera, Yellow Fever, and a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis. The quarantine process and prevention precautions saved many lives and thwarted any possible pandemics. Though these findings were not originally invented in Medieval Europe, their refinements and extensions achieved great success overtime as well as during the Middle
The longbow and crossbow, or arbalest, were small and transportable, but lethal weapons used during war and were potentially the most effective. Longbows had an upper and lower wooden limb strung with hemp and were drawn by hand. Javelins or bolts were nocked above the hand and were shot long distances with great accuracy. Crossbows were derived from the longbow, were more developed, and required much less upper body strength. The Chinese originally created the weapon around 600BC, but the use of the arbalest was spread to Europe by the Normans in 1066. The weapon included a steel limb identical to the shape of a longbow, but a tiller or stock and hook was added to ease the strength needed to draw back heavier strings. A sight was added to the front of the stock to aid the archer in his aiming. Crossbows were held parallel to the ground, unlike the perpendicularly-held longbows, and shot a greater range of approximately 380-500 yards with impressive accuracy/precision. Because longbows were drawn manually, the draw weight could only be strung so high, which affects the distance at which arrows are shot. Essentially, accuracy is decreased the lighter the draw weight and the further the target. The bolts and javelins fired from the crossbow had force great enough to breach a knight’s armor and severely injure him. Using the crossbow required little or no training. During war it was convenient due to its transportability/size and ease of use. Those armed with a crossbow could shoot from behind protection and out of small holes in a castle. Firing out of a small window was easy, but required great skill on the part of the enemy to shoot into. This allowed the knight to effectively fight from safety. The weapon is nearly silent and can easily be reloaded. Typically, skilled archers double drew and were capable of shooting with both eyes while holding several arrows at once. More modern archers usually have one dominant eye and an anchor point and shoot stationary targets while grabbing one arrow at a time from a floor quiver. More primitive arrow nocks are similar to ones for recreational use today in terms of size and shape, but differ in material. Knights had the capability of speed shooting and reloading the bow quickly, unlike the majority of modern sport archers. Long, recurve, and compound bows are still used for sport or hunting. Crossbows are commonly used while hunting rather than a gun due to its silence. Battles were not won and fought by archers alone. Swordsmen and knights rode into battle on horses. Another important development used for warfare included stirrups for horsemen. The metal stirrup revolutionized fighting from horseback for mounted knights. The stirrup served as a looped platform for the rider to place his feet …show more content…
Longbows date back to before the Middle Ages but were adapted; the crossbow was the product. Methods of archery have since greatly changed. Stirrups were remade out of metal for durability and strength and revolutionized riding style and war tactics. Medical advancements were made in terms of taking preventative measures to help delay the spread of the plague. Recent cases of quarantine were initiated to prevent the spread of other contagious diseases such as Ebola, Small Pox, Cholera, Yellow Fever, and a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis. The quarantine process and prevention precautions saved many lives and thwarted any possible pandemics. Though these findings were not originally invented in Medieval Europe, their refinements and extensions achieved great success overtime as well as during the Middle