English longbow

The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, was a powerful type of bow about 2.0 m (6 ft 6 in) long used by the English and Welsh during the Middle Ages both for hunting and as a weapon of war. Longbows were most devastatingly put to use during the Hundred Years War against the French.

History

During the Anglo-Norman invasions of Wales, Welsh bowmen took a heavy toll on the invaders by using this extraordinary weapon of war. The English were quick to realise the impact that the longbow could produce on the battlefield. As soon as the Welsh campaign was successfully over, Welsh conscripts began to be incorporated into the English army. The lessons the English learned in Wales were later used with deadly effect by Welsh mercenaries on the battlefields of France and Scotland.

Related Topics:
France - Scotland

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The longbow decided a number of medieval battles fought by the English, the most significant of which was the Battle of Crécy and later the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War. A variant (bow-staves) was used by 14th century mercenary troops of Sir John Hawkwood. Longbows were used until around the 16th century, when gunpowder began to be used, and such units as arquebusiers and grenadiers began appearing. The last recorded use of bows in an English battle seems to be a skirmish at Bridgnorth in October 1642 during the English Civil War{{Ref|Bridgnorth}}. Longbowmen armies would aim at an area and fire a rain of arrows indiscriminately hitting everyone in the area, a decidedly un-chivalrous, but highly effective, means of combat.

Related Topics:
Battle of Crécy - Battle of Agincourt - Hundred Years' War - 14th century - John Hawkwood - 16th century - Gunpowder - Arquebus - Grenadier - Bridgnorth - 1642 - English Civil War - Un-chivalrous

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Although longbows were much faster and more accurate than any black powder weapons, longbowmen were always difficult to produce because of the years of practice necessary before a war longbow (examples from the Mary Rose typically had draws greater than 65 kgf (143 lbf)) could be used effectively. To train the average commoner to use a handgun required a mere fifteen minutes, and the most difficult thing to master was keeping one's eyes open when the powder ignited. In addition to this, the longbow was a powerful weapon to put in the hands of the commoners — many nations (e.g the French) simply did not trust their people enough to instruct them in how to use a weapon that could be turned against the nobility.

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