~ Medieval Weapons ~

-    Longbows  -

The bow of the was made from a single stave of wood from the yew tree. This weapon was well-known and feared for its great power; this quality came from the yew wood. One edge of the stave came from the yew's sap wood and resisted tension while the heart wood which would run along the other edge of the stave of wood resisted compression. These two aspects combined produced a very flexible spring, and was perfect for the longbow weapon.

The great power and accuracy of the longbow meant that it was one of the very few armor-piercing Medieval weapons. In the early Middle Ages, armor consisted of chainmail which was lightweight and flexible, but could be penetrated by the polearms which later became popular in the 12th century. Thus armor developed until the all steel plate armor of the early 14th century and Agincourt.


The Longbow - continued