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.

Social importance

The importance of the longbow in medieval English culture can be seen in the legends of Robin Hood who was increasingly depicted as a master archer and in the "Song of the Bow," a poem from The White Company{{ref|WhiteCompany}} by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Related Topics:
Robin Hood - Arthur Conan Doyle

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The longbow was the weapon of choice for rebels during the Peasants' Revolt. From the time that the yeoman class of England became proficient with the longbow, the nobility in England had to be careful not to push them into open rebellion. This was a check on power of the nobility of England which did not exist on the European continent.

Related Topics:
Peasants' Revolt - Yeoman

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