Thanks so much for doing this AMA!

You mention the longbow and the crossbow in your OP, and it seems to me at least there is something of a "rivalry" between these two weapons, with the crossbow stereotyped as easy to use and packing a hefty punch with minimal training, while the longbow is superior but requires much more training and expertise to use. Is this a tension that was present in medieval history itself? Or is this a later imposition?

In various youtube videos, it seems that bows and crossbows were unable to penetrate plate armor. Is this an accurate picture of how 'safe' a knight would be, unless an arrow or bolt happened to hit the eye-slit?

Hi Stuart, thanks for doing this AMA! We often hear that longbows required years of training and development to be used properly - was a similar thing true for crossbows, or were they more of a 'pick up and go' weapon?

Hey Stuart, interesting topic that I've never given much consideration but am now very interested in.

What have been some big surprises about the history and development of (cross)bows for you in your research?

Long time fan of yours in your guise as Valkine, but now you tell me you have a book!

While I have many questions, I'll limit it to one. How easy (or difficult) is it to differentiate between bows and crossbows in the sources? Medieval latin being the mess it is, I have seen at least two instances where sagittari is translated to crossbowmen because the author deemed the context more plausible, and I wonder if it has been any hurdle in your research.

What was the first effective use of crossbows in large numbers in the battlefield or an example in warfare where a large group of crossbowmen changed the scope of the battle?

Also, I assume crossbows have a lower effective range than longbows, so would you have large groups of crossbowmen the same as your normal archer groups, or were these seen as sidearms to be carried alongside other weapons?

What was the average initial time to reload a crossbow, and what advances took place over time that led to a faster reload time?

Thanks for doing this AMA! My question is based on playing Age of Empires growing up and how you upgrade from archers to crossbowmen. I assume they didn't just switch weapons on the battlefield with some magical upgrade, so what was the transition for soldiers if there was one? Did archers ever learn crossbows or were new soldiers trainee with crossbows and archers kept as a separate thing or retired?

What is the biggest gap in research you see in the field of medieval military studies ?

Were gun designs modelled after crossbows?

Hi Dr Stuart, such an interesting ama. I'm interested in the development of the ballista. Was it just a massively upscaled crossbow? Were they developed alongside the regular crossbow or a while afterwards? How accurate were they? How widespread were they? How difficult to use? According to tv/film they seem to be mounted on every castle wall and ship available and every soldier seems to know just how to work them.

I am curious how you would answer the question, "When was the longbow invented?"

When I was a young lawyer, I had what I later concluded was a, "stress interview" with a small firm. I sat at a big table with all of the old partners and they peppered me with round after round of questions. Nonsense like, "Name one of your strengths. Now name another. Now name another." Working there was just as much of a pisser as the interview.

One of the old guys saw I was a history major and asked me when I thought the longbow was invented. After a wtf pause, I pulled, "probably around the 1200's" out of my butt. The guy just nodded and I still to this day have no idea if I was remotely close or if he even knew the answer.

But I would like to know what you think so I can finally know how close my guess was. Or even better, what would have been the dream response so I could have put him in his place in my fantasy argument in the shower.

Hi! This is a really interesting AMA to do. I just wanted to ask if crossbows were useful as an early way of fighting nomadic horse archers, as some sources say that they were useful to the crusaders fighting the Seljuk horse archers. If they were useful at countering the horse archers, what made them more suited than a normal bow, and what caused horse archers to go from defeating a several hundred thousand man army at tumu to a niche unit?

Thanks so much for this AMA Valkine! Been looking forward to it!

This might be a bit of a weird one but its been on my mind recently so I figured I'd throw it out. In pop culture crossbows seem to be the ranged medieval weapon of choice for the bad guys far more often then good guys. The Isengard Orcs in Lord of The Rings, Kings Men in a couple of Robin Hood adaptions, etc. Was there this kind of trope in the medieval era of bows as the 'proper' weapon? Or is it a more modern occurrence?

Greetings! I have a question. Outside Europe and China, how prevalent is the use of crossbows in Middle East, South East Asia, India and Africa? Thanks.

What is the greatest misconception around crossbows?

hrm. Damn you. another book to add to the library. Oh. Shaaame...

So, we have depictions of crossbows in the early medieval period over her in Scotland, in the form of depictions like the Drosten and Meigle Stones, and I'm aware that there's a smallish number of antler nuts for mechanisms have also been found in Pictish archaeological contexts.
From there, I'm a little more familiar with the later medieval crossbows, in yew and later on composite prods, from the 13-14th centuries ( I've been lucky enough to get to poke the extant ones in Glasgow Museums' reserves, in particular). But there's a great big gap in my knowledge about the intermediary periods

So my question would be, what have we got in terms of intermediary archaeology from the intervening centuries in western European archaeological contexts to see where the evolutionary stages are? I'm aware that a lot of the earlier, pre-composite bows tend to have a relatively large prod (Yew?) compared to the shorter power stroke of the later medieval crossbow, but beyond the items like the 12-13thC prods which Mike Loades' book on the subject has, have we any archaeological examples of bows - and particularly the tillers, which can be use to extrapolate the development of the technologies used?

I keep looking at them, and if I'm daft enough to make a break from bladesmithing long enough to make a replica someday....

This question is going to be a bit out there, but is there any particular reason you can see for why the gastraphetes didn't 'catch on'? It always seemed to me that the mechanism was easier to use and more powerful than the 'classical' medieval one.

Also, you're really welcome to tell me anything about crossbows in the Greco-Roman world and its surrounding regions, like the Sassanid Empire. Did the Sassanids use any form of crossbow?

Has the attitude in academia shifted to where military history is once again a viable field of study for an undergraduate? Twenty years ago it was listed as a major at many Universities, but I found that in practice there were not enough classes offered to fulfill the requirements.

Good Dr. Stuart Ellis-Gorman

On whom this title I bestow:

"Expert on Warfare Anglo-Norman

His Eminence, Doctor Crossbow."

We appreciate you doing this AMA!

I have an historiographical question: What is your assessment of the work of Ralph Frankland-Payne-Gallwey? Does hia book meet modern standards of academic rigor? Should it be avoided?

Did they develop compound bows and compound crossbows?

Hey Stuart, thanks for doing this,

I read somewhere a long time ago that crossbows were at one point outlawed by a papal bull, apparently because the injuries the bolts could cause where far too grievous for good Christians to use them. Naturally, that didn't really stick. Was this really done out of a love peace, or more because peasants would be able to learn how to use it ?

Also, do you paint your own wargaming models?

How many times does the word "crossbow" appear in your book?

I didn't realise there were different types of crossbows. What were the main differences (if any) between those used in warfare vs sport or tournaments?

Hi! I actually did some archery a couple years ago, but used a modern compound bow. You wouldn’t happen to know what the draw weight of an average longbow would be, would you?

How accurate is the stereotype that aristocrats saw (cross)bows as beneath them, a peasant or coward's weapon?

Thank you for this AMA. I would like to ask, what you can say about the mounted use of crossbows.

I occasionally read that mounted crossbowmen acted basically like later dragoons but at least for 15th century german speaking areas there seems to be quit a bit of pictoral evidence for mounted use of the crossbow in a military context. Fencing manuals also sometimes include illustrations depicting mounted crossbow usage and the 16th century German knight Götz von Berlichingen mentioned in his autobiography a case of mounted one on one combat in which he first shot his crossbow and after missing threw it at his opponent.

So it seems to me that assertions that mounted crossbowmen only shot dismounted might be wrong or ignore late medieval and early modern Germany speaking areas. This leaves me curious how prevalent mounted crossbowmen were and in which way they operated and were employed on campaign and on the battlefield.

How did technological improvements in things like crossbows happen? Was there any medieval kingdom or society that had an active weapons development program, or was it mostly random tinkerers?

Okay, this might be a bit out there, but I am very curious as to your perspective / thoughts on such;

What are some traps / flaws you think stories / writers fall into when it comes to Medieval style warfare, either in historical fiction or fantasy.

I'll restrict my question to 11th to 14th century France just because I'm worried it's too broad otherwise. I've seen mentions of French armies hiring crossbow mercenaries in some book i read about 100 years war. Where were the armies/rulers generally sourcing the manpower for their crossbow equipped troops? Would the average archer be a peasant levy handed a weapon, or a full time retainer or proffesional mercenary? And just to finish up this question, how would it be selected who fights with a crossbow vs holds a spear on the front line. Thanks in advance!

Dr. Stuart,

Was there any technical advancements development to improve functionality in the field and overall maintenance?

If there were major advancements could you expand on the possible impacts this had in the concept of fire rates of ranged weapons in armies moving foward from that period.

What kind of standardization was there in medieval weaponry such as crossbows? As a king could I go to Burleigh and Stronginthearm and order a thousand off the shelf with the expectation that they’re the same. If my troops were trained on the mark IV but B&S only had mark IIs in stock would that be an issue? And what about the bolts? Do I need to get my bolts from the same supplier for compatibility? Are there bolt guys?

I ask because the crossbow, as a common weapon, seems like something that wouldn’t be produced by master artisans. Where did they come from? Who made them? Was it craft or manufacture?

How expensive was a crossbow vs other bows? Did it require a higher level of industrial skill/development to build, or could just anyone who could make a longbow make a crossbow?

Oh man thanks for this AMA

I'm interested in the twilight days of the crossbow. Can you talk a little about the reasons why arquebuses replaced crossbows in the early modern period? I understand that the tactical developments during Italian campaigns and later Habsburg-Valois wars were instrumental in this shift, but i don't know much about the details when it refers specifically to crossbows vs arquebuses; I know that at the beggining they were seen as almost interchangeable weapons, so why did the arquebus edge out in the end?

Also related, do you happen to know about crossbows in Sweden during this period? I remember reading that they were diehard fans of them like the English with the longbow and similarly didn't phase them out until later in the 16th century.

Thanks!

Thanks for doing this AMA! Haven't read your book, but I'm definitely going to read it now (and your answers later this evening when I'm not so busy)

When it comes to history, it often feels like broad strokes are relied on when educating laypeople since they don't necessarily need a deep understanding for their own purposes. However, this often leaves false impressions, like the idea that the introduction of firearms immediately eradicated use of bows and crossbows, when in reality there were long periods of time where this technology coexisted in such a widespread manner. This overlooks much interesting history regarding how people used this technology.

What does the early adoptation and spread of the use of crossbows in early medieval European armies look like? What barriers were there to adoptation, and how were they resolved? And once bows and crossbows begin to coexist in this manner, how does that affect their use as people adapt to the specific benefits and drawbacks of these weapons? For example, do we see leaders valuing arbalists over archers in certain battlefield scenarios, and vice versa?

Also, did they have a crossbow/bow culture like we have a gun culture today? If so, any good or interesting gags or in-jokes in those cultures you've come across in your studies?

Hi Dr Ellis-Gorman, how expensive would it have been to manufacture crossbows and longbows and their ammo for the people of the middle ages? Would those weapons only be really accessable to the wealthier classes?

Either way thanks for the AMA

Hi, thanks for this fascinating AMA! Have you ever heard of Tod Cutler, and if yes, what do you think about his evaluations of the medieval arms he builds and tests on his YouTube channel? Do you think they are accurate, or the way he demonstrates their use is accurate?

With the invention of the crossbow, How realistic was it for your average person to own one? I imagine while slower to load and fire it was still a very dangerous weapon, were there laws in place one would have to follow? or was this strictly a weapon for Soldiers/Mercenaries to own?

What (if they exist) are some of your favorite first person accounts or journals of contemporary warfare as a line infantry or mounted sergeant at arms?

Were there any particular cities or regions that became major centers of crossbow manufacture, like augsburg or milan for plate harnesses? Or was crossbow manufacture much more decentralized?

Well I have to ask this since your book title sets it up: Was there in fact a king killed by a crossbow? Did crossbows see much use outside of battles between armies?

I see in another comment that you mention longbow-wielders possibly investing in crossbows because crossbowmen made more. Were there any times where crossbows would be a path towards social advancement, or do they appear to have generally been on the same level as their longbow counterparts?

I read that during the battle of Crécy, a rainstorm waterlogged the French’s crossbows and rendered many of them useless during the battle.

Is this really true? And why didn’t they know that they were broken when they still charged the English anyways?

I forge metal for a living, and the idea of a steel crossbow sounds like a pretty advanced piece of metalwork to be able to reproduce at scale. Were steel crossbows related to any developments in metallurgy around the time of their introduction?

What an amazing AMA. Thank you for doing this.

I've been wondering about early artillery guns. Just how much of a financial burden were they to rulers and how much of them could be maintained? I've done only some light reading on the Hundred Years War and seen guns used in a few campaigns, so I'm intrested in just how guns were procured for an army. How important of a decision was it to use a gun instead of other siege weapons like a Trebuchet?

Ahhh thank you so much for doing this AMA! I hope my question gets to you with the absolute oceans of questions other people are making.

So I see in other answers that you said that archery were rather popular with the knights & nobility.

My question specifically would be: how popular were archery with the nobility in battle?

I knew that hunting as a sport is one that the nobility practiced a lot, and that by some it was considered a "manly virtue". However, I was thinking about their popularity in warfare specifically.

A bit unrelated, but as a historian how do you find all this research? Are there archives where you can find all this information? I’m working on a history newsletter of my own and would love how you can find so much stuff on a very specific topic.

Gunpowder took 400 years to spread to Europe based on a quick look at wikipedia. But the Chinese have invented crossbows around 700 bc iirc. Why did it take so long for the crossbow to establish itself in European warfare?

What is the most superior siege weapon?

Edit: this is already shaping up as a very informative AMA. Thank you so much for offering your insight.

Hi Stuart! Thanks for doing this AMA. You mentioned in a previous comment a "gun-crossbow" in the Doge's Palace – what...eh, what is that? Have been trying to find images of it in the Palace but haven't had any luck.

Thanks for doing this AMA!

I actually have two questions:

1. In the Paston letters, John Paston II refers to finding soldiers who were familiar with crossbows to help defend his family's claims to Caister Castle. I would interpret this to mean that many English people in late 15th century WEREN'T familiar with using crossbows- what sort soldiers would he have been referring to? English soldiers who served on the Continent? Burgundian? How do you reconcile this with the traditional notion that crossbows were "easier" to use? Is this perhaps more a reference to maintenance of crossbows than to use?
2. I know we have archaeological examples of Spanish crossbows from 1570s in the Americas- what's the last recorded use of crossbows in warfare in Europe?

How common were bows and crossbows compared to things like slings up until guns started becoming more common?

Hey and thanks so much for doing this AMA!

​

The mention of those crossbow shooting guilds is fascinating to me and it raises a question for me how crossbows became part of society and culture. For example, I remember reading that some pope (Innocent II?) banned the use of crossbows against Christians - obviously, that didn't seem to take. Were there any bans like that, did they change, and how'd crossbows become part of cultures?

Thanks again - can't wait to get my hands on that book.

Stu! Wild to see someone I know post an AMA!

In your blurb it mentions many designs of crossbows. Was there a time or battle where multiple designs were used at the same time for different reasons as you might use a short sword and a long sword for different reasons? Or would an army typically just have a mix because that is all there was?

Hope all is well! -Brian

The fact that the Second Lateran Council banned the use of crossbows (and archers!) against Christians is often brought up as a interesting historical tidbit, but I've rarely seen much said about this. I have several questions about this, but feel free to limit your answer to just one or two if it's a bit much to try and answer it all:

• Do we have any records of prior theological debate about the ethics of certain weapons that would have led to this issue being raised at the council?
• Do we know of other Christian groups during this time period considering bans on specific kinds of weapons, or was this an exclusively Catholic area of interest?
• Do we know what the reactions of secular rulers were to this? Were there any serious attempts to follow this rule?
• Were there any other attempts by the Catholic Church to regulate the way war was waged?
• How big a role did this, and any other attempts by the Church to regulate war, have on the development of rules of warfare in Europe?

To be honest I have so much more that I'd love to ask, but I think this is more than enough questions.

I’m sure you are aware of the legend of William Tell. How far would they have to place his son and the apple to make it a real feat, assuming the man used an easy crossbow with a bell hook?

Were there any famous monarchs who were killed by a crossbow, and if so, who were they and where did they rule?

Hi Stuart. Can you tell me a bit about how useful/prevalent sword were in medieval warfare. From my understanding, they’re far less useful than Hollywood portrays them to be and in general spears were the weapon that won wars. Thoughts?

My question would be what is the approximate ratio for wood and composite prods in mainland Europe and the Ottoman empire in the middle ages? As the numbers from England and the Teutonic order paint quite the interesting picture.

Also you don't happen to know where I might find a digital copy of the books written by Joseph Alm, Jens Sensfelder and Paterson on crossbows? And if they don't exist a place to order a physical copy for a reasonable price would also be most welcome. I've been looking for those like a madman for the last little bit and any help would be quite welcome.

Hi Dr. Gorman,I hope I'm not too late to ask(I only saw your excellent AMA today) if you've ever worked with Tod Cutler of Tod's workshop, he did a very interesting series of tests of Period Armour VS Longbows and I think Crossbows as well, with one of the few Bowmen around today who can accurately (and repeatedly) fire a 200 Lb Longbow( Joe Gibbs is his name... I think they eventually settled on a 160 Lb draw bow for accuracy's sake) here's a link(to only one of many brilliant videos!), there are a LOT more excellent people involved in the testing!(including Dr. Tobias Capwell from the Wallace collection)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBxdTkddHaE

Crossbows, as you mention, were originally used in China. How did they get from there to Europe, and how similar were medieval European crossbows to their Chinese ancestors, or for that matter, contemporary Chinese crossbows?

Hi! I hope this is still going on as the answers have been brilliant! Very informative!

I’m just wondering on a more general note how you progressed from your PhD to where you are now? In terms of writing your own book and such? I wrote my undergrad dissertation on the use of artillery during the English civil wars and I’d love to know what inspired you to continue towards where you are now?

Thank you, and I hope you have a lovely day!

Hey, cheers for doing this! I've learned a lot from your previous answers on here as well, so thank you so much. Here's my question:

In movies and TV-series with medieval or ancient settings, archers (crossbowmen perhaps less so?) are often depicted loosing their arrows in volleys, as in they all shoot simultaneously. In my mind, a continuous barrage of arrows would be harder to deal with for an enemy force and therefore a more effective way of using archers. So why are archers always depicted shooting in volleys? Does this "tactic" have roots in history, or is it a modern movie trope? If it is rooted in history, why was it done this way? Thank you again!

Are they actually fit to kill kings? I don’t want to mess it up so I have to double check that they are

In Philip the Good: The Apogee of Burgundy, Volume 3, Richard Vaughan quotes an anonymous account of the Battle of Brouwershaven 1426 as saying the Dutch "shot simultaneously at the English with over a thousand crossbows. But these did about as much harm to them as a shower of rotten apples" (page 44). I've yet to find any more information about this chronicle. Are you familiar with it? I'm curious about why the chronicler described the effect a crossbow volley in such disparaging terms. It's jarring to contrast the "shower of rotten apples" claim with accounts of crossbow effectiveness like Anna Komnene's over-the-top assertions—especially given how 15th-century European crossbows seem more technologically advanced than 12th-century ones.

I'm happy to see crossbows getting more attention. I look forward to the day when we have more accurate medieval/Renaissance crossbow replicas & more people practicing them. I suspect that will help us understand how the crossbow operated in historical warfare in more detail. In the 15th-century work El Victorial, spanning powerful crossbows from the belt constitutes a key feat of strength for the protagonist. If accurate, the text indicates circa-1400 warriors practiced their ability to span powerful crossbows & competed with each other. People today do this with yew warbows, achieving impressive results, but I've yet to see anyone trying to mimic Pero Niño's accomplishments.

Hello! This is great - I'm writing a fantasy series where a person from our world somehow ends up in a setting where magic has stopped weapons development around the Macedonian era (except for big swords, 'cause everyone likes big swords). So, I have the main character getting weapon smiths to design a crossbow. The MC imagines having a crossbow regiment that uses similar tactics to British Redcoats in firing: first line fires, drops down to reload, second line fires, etc.

Has that ever been done in history? Would it work at all?

What can you tell me about the glaive as a weapon?

I'm a little late to this thread, so this might be a longshot--speaking as a military Medievalist, off-the-cuff, how applicable do you think your broad insights on the crossbow are to Eastern Europe? That is, say, Medieval Poland, Bosnia, or Romania.

I see this all the time in Medieval history; I suspect that just because the source/language skills aren't there (and historians aren't looking), doesn't necessarily mean that things were all that different.

The medieval flail is my all time favorite, id love to hear what you have to say about it

How big an overlap in time was there between crossbows and early handheld firearms and what might have influenced a user to choose one over the other

What is the superior siege engine?

Hi, sorry I got on late and thanks for doing this AMA

I know that crossbows seem to mostly be a high and late middle ages weapon at least in discussions I've seen but what was happening with crossbows specifically and archery for battle and hunting in general in the sub-Roman and early middle ages in Western Europe/British Isles? Everything I've read of pre Norman British battles has focused on the shield wall and the combination of professional infantry and levies that would make it up at different points but archery doesn't get much of a look in until the Bastard.

I've been wanting an expert to ask this to for a while, I'm not sure if this is a reasonable way to look at longbows.

Is it more accurate to think of massed archers (Such as English Longbowmen) as being like a machine gun, more for suppression of an enemy than dealing casualties? Especially as armour improves with time.

During the Han dynasty, the Chinese imperial army was known for deploying massive amounts of crossbow infantry in their continuous wars against the nomadic Xiongnu steppe tribes. How effective was their doctrine, and what made the Chinese method of crossbow use different than in other societies like Europe or the Middle East?

Also, why did this style of warfare eventually fall out of favor with the Chinese?

The most powerful medieval arbalests could have tremendous power, generating several thousands of pound-force. Could such weapons be used effectively in tactics that foreshadow snipers as we sometime see in some movies and adventure/fantasy novels or where there too many constraints and was the effective range too short for such use?

Thanks, I'm learning new respect for the crossbow.

What's this about medieval guns? I'm assuming you mean the arquebus? What were the advantages and disadvantages of these very early guns and how were they used? Why did it take so long for them to be widely adopted?

One more thing, if I may. I've read that the increased expense of weapons, particularly cannons and guns, had a lot to do with the rise of the nation state. Only a strong, centralized national government could afford to equip armies. Is that correct?

Thanks!

Why were repeating crossbows only a thing in Warring States China?

How small is the smallest still lethal crossbow? Is there a theoretical limit on the size?

Hi, thanks for doing this!

I have two questions:

1. Assuming quite a lot of training, how would a 15th century longbowman compare to a crossbowman in terms of efficacy? I don't even know how one would go about estimating this sort of thing, but I suppose force of the projectile, rate of fire, and effective range would be some nice parameters to know. Are those known?
2. I have seen depictions of (for instance) Carolingian (French) armies armed primarily with crossbows, but while I acknowledge the possibility of a couple crossbows existing at the time, I somehow don't believe this depiction would have been close to accurate. However, I can believe that maybe late 15th century Milanese armies would have had divisions equipped almost to a man with crossbows. When would the crossbow have become a dominant weapon within a single army in Western Europe? What miniature army should I collect if I want a tonne of guys with crossbows, AND I want historical accuracy?

Thanks again!

Besides for war, and hunting, did Crossbows have any possible use as a tool?

This is so cool. I want to read this book! As someone else said, I had never thought about this but now I can't stop. Others are asking great questions about crossbows...I'm curious about the war games! What games have stuck out to you, and why? What games do you think have the most interesting modeling/treatment of medieval warfare?

Let's say you have to kill someone outside of crossbow range. Catapult, or trebuchet?

When did Medieval European armies stop using shield walls ?

Assuming Gun powder never advanced or became adopted. How do you think warfare would have evolved?

I read that longbows didn’t work above a certain temperature and Turkish/Mongol composite bows didn’t work above a certain humidity. So there was never a matchup between the two.

Is this true? We’re there any battles where they discovered this fact a bit too late?

What has been the most effective archery unit in history, either in terms of raw kills per archer, or territory/goods obtained per archer?

How would you be able to launch a grenade from one, kinda like you see in video games? Or is that even possible?

In many movies we see archers shooting arrows one by one. How realistic is such continuous fire? I read once that you would need a lot of strength to draw the bow

Were mounted crossbowmen ever a thing? In a similar way that mounted archers were being used?

Were crossbows used much for hunting in this time period?

Do you feel that modern fantasy media have given a false perception of the effectiveness of bows in combat?

What kinds of regulations were in place around civilian ownership of bows and crossbows? Did that vary by class?

Was there ever an attempt at making a flintlock crossbow hybrid? Also a fantasy trope is always multiple arrows at multiple targets. Sometimes with a regular bow, sometimes a crossbow. How realistic is a multiple arrow load out? Either fired one at a time without reloading (automatic string reset?) Or all at once. Finally would an automatic crossbow actually exist? Sort of half asked with the many arrows fired at once question.

Hi Stuart,

Just a regular dude here. I was wondering if the prevalence of crossbows and longbows in the public psyche when talking about medieval ranged warfare in Europe is due to their representation in the media? How widespread was the use of high poundage short bows in Europe?

Could a crossbow beat a lightsaber

Did vikings use crossbows? Or did they use other technique?

How would you personally make a crossbow?

early "cheap" armors were able to be pierced by a crossbow but later on stronger armors seemed to be impervious to them. Were these cheap metal armors phased out or did people keep using them regardless of whether crossbows were a threat out of cost etc?

I have some questions!

1. is there any evidence that ancient romans ever used the Crossbow?

2. did the picts (ancient scots) use it for real? I found this picture but it could be just a Bow.

https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/516858494720563149/?amp_client_id=CLIENT_ID(_)&mweb_unauth_id=&simplified=true

if yes, are there any mention in history?

3. I did some archery a couple years ago and I know that nowadays even very strong archers struggle with high lbs bows. Beginners use 25 lbs Bows and experts may use 45,...I heard that medieval longbows had a pull strenght of 150 lbs... which is absolutely monster level. The medieval archers must have been extremely strong and muscular. Were these archers the elite of the elite or were they in England common?

When is the last "battle" or campaign in which crossbows played a primary role?

How do Chinese crossbows compare? I imagine inventing and adopting them several centuries earlier than anyone else would yield some notable differences.

I'd always assumed crossbow technology filtered into Europe from China, given the early use of mass crossbow formations in the east. Is that correct?

What can you tell us about the earliest crossbows and their development? Either earliest in Europe or earliest full stop would be fascinating.

A bit of a practical question, what's the "typical" effective draw weight for a war crossbow? I casually shoot longbows and I've always wanted to make the jump over to historic crossbow.

There is alot of discussion around English war bow weights and how you can find extreme 180+ lbs examples, but physical exertion seems to me to be major limiting factor. Even with training, you sort of settle into a weight you can keep shooting all day.

I know crossbow technologies like goatfoot levers and doublers have their limits of how much they can actually help, but from the other side of things, can a 300lb bow with only a 9-10 inch powerstroke really provide good battlefield results? My first bow as a teenager was 25 lbs and I was making 'good enough' hits in just a week of goofing off, so the training aspect doesn't seem so important when you aren't trying to complete with a full blown English warbow. No way a goatsfoot crossbow can get even close to that kind of power, yet, they exist in battlefield context.

Are there any 'sweet spot' configurations that you would say would be a good pratical representation of its class? I know crossbow changed quite a bit over time, so maybe a big question lol

Hi, are you familiar with Joerg Sprave of Youtubes ‘The Slingshot Channel’. If so, do you feel medieval artisans could or would have been able to replicate his repeating long/cross bows if the idea had occured to them?

So this might be a bit of a stretch on your knowledge but I have a question about sex practices during medieval times... did they masterbate more or less than modern people. Does the prevalence of prostitution back then make it more likely they had sex or due to hygiene did they just wack it because... well people were gross back then.

Would Wilhelm Tell's crossbow have been accurate enough for his son to survive through anything short of dumb luck?

From Wikipedia: "The appearance and evolution of medieval warships is a matter of debate and conjecture: until recently, no remains of an oared warship from either ancient or early medieval times had been found, and information had to be gathered by analyzing literary evidence, crude artistic depictions and the remains of a few merchant vessels"

Is this true and, if so, why did medieval scholars and writers not write about warships? (given the highly technical nature of a warship's design and the importance of knowing how to construct these marvels of engineering)

Hey there!

How effective were fort mounted crossbows at stopping sieges? Did they play a big role in this aspect?

Do we know if there was any weaponry that would instil fear in the other side? If not in general even a sort of top trump situation ie oh no we have short bows but they have crossbows or we have infantry but they have armoured Calvary?

Failing that, do we know if archers had any sort of reputation among armies? As in, only a very skilled man could do that or we give the idiots the arrows because they’d only muck things up if they were on the front line?

Hi, who invented the earliest known form of guns?

Are there any historically significant occurrences of somebody taking an arrow to the knee?

Wow, this really dovetails into my interests! I'm actually making harness suited to a late 13th century man-at-arms and I've toyed with making a period crossbow (if nothing else to see how my maille is coming along). So I'm definitely going to have to pick this book up.

But my question is a bit separate. I've also been working on a couple of fan-supplements for a defunct wargame which the company never got around to before shuttering it. I've seen some references to Song military treatises specifically arguing against using mixed units of crossbowmen and other infantry. Does this mean it had been a common practice before? I can see how combining the two could be unwieldy, but it seems to me like it could have been helpful against Liao and Jin cavalry. Were there any specific reasons cited that you know of?

Thanks for an interesting topic I didn't know I was interested in! I have one (maybe quick?) question. Can you give a rundown of how tactics would have varied between bows and crossbows? As a someone who isn't even vaguely a historian, there's the stereotypical mental picture of massed archers arching arrows down onto their opponents. Is that a realistic picture and were crossbows used similarly, or is that another of those popular media misconceptions?

What was the typical draw weight (pounds) of a longbow and were recurves ever used?

How much accuracy is actually needed for an longbowmen in a mass archer volley? Seeing them i thought that they just fire to a "general area" and they don't really need to be that accurate. Also what kind of training done in decades is actually done by a longbowmen? Is it mostly strength training? I heard it is so hard to pull that it literally deforms someone.

What was the biggest crossbow ever used? Could crossbow bolts be of unique variety, maybe catch on fire or have a rope attached to them?

When the guns and grenades came along, how much time did it take for crossbows and bows to get replaced?

Did anyone use curved swords? Could they through plate armor? Could any sword do that?

How the hell did heavy armored knights die if most of them were invulnerable to traditional damage?

Were there any potions? There was this game I played called Kingdom Come Deliverance which is like an uber realistic medieval game. In it, you could make certain drugs using real life plants like being able to see at night by making your pupils bigger and resistance to pain by getting super drunk.

I heard the Byzantines invented a flamethrower? Why didn't that take off?

Hi and thank you for the fascinating AMA.

A few quick fire questions:

How prominent was the use of crossbows outside of warfare, for hunting or during archery contests for example?

Do we also know of any potentially ridiculous design innovation that failed to catch on?

Any famous example of crossbow usage after they became obsolete on the battlefield?

Many thanks!

So I'm not sure about medieval era but in the classical era there seems there was a general sentiment in western culture that ranged weapons like bows were cowardly and dishonorable combat, that a true warrior battled in melee.

Is there accuracy to this statement? And if so does it persist into the middle ages considering the incredible amounts of prestige given to the "chivalrous" mounted heavy cavalry culture?

A pope banned crossbow use againt Christians, because the weapon was deemed unfair due to its easy use.

When did this tension- even among the more nobel of nobels- lose grip?

Were arquebusiers/handgonners recruited in the same manner as longbowmen/crossbowmen? Would they have been paid differently? Trained? Would individual companies mix types of fire?

Thanks for doing this AMA!

1. What's the latest example we have of a battle where crossbows or regular bows were still used as a tactical choice?

2. Kinda stepping out of bounds here, but given that accurate, mass-produced firearms didn't really become a thing until the late 18th/early 19th centuries, when firearms were first being introduced to the battlefield did people see them as a minor innovation that wouldn't ever overtake crossbows? Or was the importance of them quickly and widely understood?

Benefits of comman crosbow vs the benifits of comman european bow.

Hi Doc! I always wondered why gunpowder weapons ended up revolutionizing infantry formations in a way that crossbows did not.

Artillery makes sense to be, but if the arquenlbuser took as long to load as a crossbow, AND could break armor like a bullet..why didn't pile squared with crossbows end up changing warfare?

Congratulations on getting published!

My question for you concerns naval engagements and what role ranged weapons played in these conflicts (if any) prior to the Age of Sail style decks of cannons. We see Hollywood portrayals of massed flaming arrows sinking ships, or of "Greek fire" being used, but I could easily imagine boarding actions being more generally used. Please enlighten us!

What protection did medieval weapons have against water damage?

A lot of weapons are susceptible to water damage. Steel rusts. Wood can expand, split, rot, and other such factors. Since you seem to be focused on medieval weapons, I'll keep my question centered on that. Crossbows, bolts, arrows, bows, even pikes and swords as well as larger weapons such as siege weapons, they would all need some amount of protection, especially in humid or rainy climates, I would imagine.

Was the issue as severe as I seem to be thinking it was? How was this addressed? I often hear historians talk about a battlefield being muddy or a march being difficult because of weather, but did it ever have a detrimental effect on the arms themselves?

My understanding from my fairly limited (warfare) knowledge of the classical era was that ranged weapon users of Greece and The Roman Empire were considered cowardly due to, well, their higher “k/d” ratio; not having to be face to face with their opponents. Was this a social stigma faced by later archers?

Thanks for doing this AMA! I've heard that medieval soldiers with guns were looked down on compared to archers and crossbowmen, especially by knights. Is this true and if so to what extent?

Were swords in medieval times as beautiful, polished, well designed, finished and straight as modern swords from master smiths? And if so what were some ways they did it if you know.

I havnt found much information on cranequins. How widespread were they, and is the 2000+ poundage figure thrown around accurate?

Thanks for doing the AMA!

I have for thee three questions

1. What was the most unique type of crossbow you came across and what was the most unique use of the crossbow on the battlefield?

2. When matchlocks were introduced, which armies put them to use quicker? Europe or the "Gun powder empires" and how did they differ in terms of usage and formation of bow archers and crossbowmen v musket wielders. Also, to what extent was the Ottoman cannon making industry developed to build cannons of a smaller scale by the early 16th century?

3. In cases of naval warfare (15th- early 16th century), what was more prominent, crossbows, guns or bows? And how would they be used in such a context (rows of archers? as mounted artillery?)

Guns were rapidly adopted by feudal warlords when the Portuguese brought them to Japan in the 1500s. Why did the feudal Japanese never adopt crossbows when they were used in China for thousands of years?

Were there stereotypes of using a longbow vs a crossbow? For example, was one seen as more honourable? Or more "masculine"?

Hi Stuart! Thanks for the fascinating answers, I'm reading this thread for a good half an hour or so!

A simple question: did the notion of "trigger discipline" with drawn crossbows exist at the time as we have today regarding firearms? Had they any sort of safety mechanism to prevent unwanted discharge between loading the bolt and aiming at the target?

how do you feel about the common internet meme that lithe characters in fantasy shouldn’t be able to use bows because they require the upper body strength of a weight lefter?

In the central asian,iranian and south russian world was there a uniquely innovative medival archery forces since there have been large amounts of horse archers there for thousands of years by that point?

I seem to recall hearing about a bow braced against the feet that could fire a great distance. I haven’t been able to find information on it. Was there such a thing?

Ok, quite a small question here, possibly with a large answer, but what small and possibly obvious development made a huge difference but wjen undiscovered for a long time? I imagine weapons like this were continually refined and there were a few eureka moments

Moving away from the technical aspects and how it affected warfare, what would you say are the cultural changes the crossbow brought about (especially in regard say medieval and early modern european cities)?

Are there any materials that were vital for the development of modern arms?

Were crossbows more likely to cause friendly fire than longbows , due to the flatter trajectory of fire?

Were crossbows less effective than longbows when besieging fortifications due to the flatter trajectory of fire?

Were crossbowman mostly mercenaries like the Genoese Crossbowman? Were there ever crossbowman among feudal levies? What about in personal retinues or in proto-standing armies?

Why are high medieval arrow slits keyhole-shaped? Why can't you just shoot through a regular slit?

What social status did archery hold in fifteenth-century England? In the fourteenth century, archery was not considered to be a courtly sport. It was associated with yeomen and foot soldiers in the Hundred Years War. In the sixteenth century it was considered suitable as an aristocratic activity. But what about the fifteenth century? Do we have any evidence for archery tournaments held amongst courtiers? What about in the royal hunt? Was it more of a gentry activity?

How awesome is the Messer? Very awesome or all of the awesome?

Why is the crossbow iconic for the middle ages, and not for the iron age, when it was first developed in China, and later Greece?

if you were going to hunt a hawk and a moose with the same weapon, what would it be?

Why were Asian crossbows much more efficient in projectile speed over European crossbows?

Thanks for this AMA

What's the rationale for having both archers and crossbow men in an army? Why not just use archers?

Why did sling use stop?

I'm not sure if you will see this, but if you do (or if someone else does), can you answer these questions?

• While crossbows would vary in design, on average, how easy are they to carry (in terms of their weight and bulk)? In terms of date, I'm thinking of roughly the 12th to 15th centuries (I'm not sure when crossbows would be the most notable/prominent, so I'm giving a broad date of when I believe they were used most to give more leeway to anyone answering this), although if you have knowledge in a different time period, answer from that.
• Do you have any knowledge on repeating crossbows, and if you do, can you speak on their accuracy (I'm thinking along the lines of how far away do you have to be to reliably hit a target or a small group of targets), as well as factors like ease of reloading, weight, and bulk?
• How far away would you have to be from a crossbow, longbow, or (or another medieval bow if you have knowledge about said bow) to be able to see one fired at you, and then get out of the way of the arrow or bolt it is firing?
• How easy would it be to dodge someone firing a bow at you, and would moving in a zig-zag pattern, running diagonally, or using another strategy to avoid moving in a straight like be an effective way to avoid getting hit by the arrows being fired at you?

Were crossbows more accurate or reliable than early European firearms? Also, were they more or less effective against a heavily armored opponent?

What battles, sieges, or other conflicts in your opinion were "won" or perhaps "lost" because of the use of the crossbows?

For example, both the battles of Crecy and Agincourt are famously (if contentiously) considered major victories because of the use of the Longbow.

Does the Crossbow have a particular event that shows their success to that degree that some six hundred years later people equate that battle to the weapon?

Edit: Also, thank you so much for doing this AMA and giving us your time and thoughtful answers!

How safe were archers during battle?

In movies I always see them dishing out a lot of damage, whilst being relatively safe from opposing forces.

Thanks for doing this AMA Dr. Ellis-Gorman!

How much region diversity existed for the crossbow in Medieval Europe? What I mean is we’re there any noticeable design differences/advantages in for example comparing a British crossbow to an Italian crossbow?

I’m not an expert on this period of history at all so I was curious if crossbows are just as diversified as a modern gun or ancient swords.

Now, both long ans short, seem to have been a global spontaneous weapon. Do you have a theory on why only in Europe did they evolve into crossbows? Or is it that, places like the Americas would have gotten there eventually but didnt have enough time?

What is the fastest firing crossbow ever made that saw actual use in battle?