Pavise

Pavise originate in 14th century and is named after the italian town of Pavia.

Shields quickly became popular all over Europe. Despite the italian name, Bohemia became a major military user and center of production for these shields.

Pavise is 4 to 5 feet high and broad enough to cover the entire body. Pavise was used by archers and (mainly) crossbowman. Crossbowman would duch behind pavise and reload his crossbow during a batlle. Pavise would be carried on the back of crossbowman and than put in front of them, in permanet position before medieval battle. Pavises could be used by linking shields together and forming a defensive screen known as Pavisad.
Pavises was painted often with coat of arms of the town where they were made or religious scenes, saints.

Pavises:

 

Bohemian pavise

Bohemian pavise circa 1400

Bohemian pavise circa 1480

History of the crossbow 2

Medieval times and onward

Europe

Crossbow was popular weapon in tenth century as it can be seen in tenth century manuscript of the monk Richer's Historia.

Crossbow was introduced to England at the battle of Hasting in 1066.. Normans brought it to England. In Domesday Book (1085.-1086.) by William I the name of "Odo the crossbowman" is given as being a tenant of some lands of the king in Yorkshire.

William II was killed in 1100. when hunting deer in the New Forest, by a bolt from the crossbow.

William II, Henry I, Stephen and Henry II all employed crossbowmen in their army; manly foreign mercenaries.

In 1139. the Second Lateran Council under Pope Innocent II banned the use of crossbows against Christians as they deemed it to be too powerful, lethal and quite out of order in a chivalrous sense that a ‘common man’ armed with one could kill an armoured and mounted noble knight at a distance. This was confirmed by Innocent III.

English king Richard I (1189.-1199.) used crossbowmen in his crusade in Palestine and in his wars with France. He re-introduced the crossbow and caused it to be common weapon in warfare, as for a number of years previously to his reign it had suffered in popularity owing to the papal decrees against it use. Richard was killed by bolt from a crossbow in 1199. (at siege of the Castle of Chaluz, in France).
King John and Henry III employed considerable numbers of mercenary crossbowmen in their armies, mounted and on foot. Henry III at the battle of Taillebourgh 1242. had in his army 700 crossbowen. After death on Henry III crossbowmen became lass popular in favor of longbow. Henry V at august 1415. in his army had less than 100 crossbowmen.

In 13th and 14th century and in firs half of 15th century crossbowmen was considered on the Continent to be the corps d'elite of army. It was appreciated weapon especialy in France, Spain, Germany and Italy.
In Fourteenth cetury, in Spain the crossbowman was granted the rank of a knight. The position of "Master of Crossbowmen" in France, Italy and Spain was one of great honour. A troop of mounted crossbowmen usually formed the bodyguard of the king, and attended him in battle. The Genoese were famed for their skill in the construction and management of crossbows, and were hired for service by all nations on the Continent.

Hand-guns began slowly to supersede crossbows in Continental armies between 1460. and 1470., though the latter continued more or less in favour till the close of the fifteenth century. Crossbowmen were employed in limited numbers (on the Continent only) till about 1515.-1520.  Crossbowmen by all Continental armies were finally discarded in open warfere by all Continental armies between 1522. and 1525., but were occasioanally used on foreign ships of war, and in the defence or attack of a besieged town or castle, till 1530.-1535.

Still crossbow was used for hunting on the Continent, for killing deer, till about 1635., possibly in parts of Italy and Spain even later, as there are many fine examples of powerful bolt-shooting sporting crossbows of Spanish and Italian construction, which are dated between the years 1640. and 1650.

At the beggining of sixteenth century, the double-stringed stonebow was introduced, and at it became very popular with sportsmen, ladies, foresters and keepers, as a means of obtaining game-birds, pigeons, hares and rabbits. In 1760. the stonebow, which had always been was improved in strength and accuracy, and between 1810. and 1820. it was brought to great perfection, and has since been known as the bullet crossbow.

The crossbow was the first hand-held weapon that could be used by an untrained soldier to  injure or kill a knight in plate armour. The most powerful crossbows could penetrate armour and kill at 200 yards.



Crossbow of 11th-12th century:

German crossbow (14th century):

 Drawing of goats foot crossbow (13th century):

Cranequin crossbow (mid-14th century):

 Windlass crossbow (15th century):

 Stonebow:

History of the crossbow

China

The history of the crossbow dates back to 4 th century BC in Ancient China. Early finds of crossbows were discovered tomb at Saobatang, Huan dated to 4th centuru BC. Repeating crossbows were discovered in tomb at Quinjiazui, Hubei dated to 4th century BC. Repeating crossbow is first mentioned in the Record of Three Kingdoms.
The crossbow is is the most frequently weapon mentioned in the ancient chinese sources. It was wiedly used by army of Hun dinasty (202 BC-220 AD). Crossbow was often given credit for the Han army`s superiority over its enemy.

Chine also invented muliple-bolt crossbow. Lian Nu was generic term for any type of crossbow which fired multiple bolts at the same time. This was huge crossbow that was mainly mounted on wheels.

Chu-ko-nu was popular hand held repeating crossbow in China. Invented by Chu Ko Liang during later Han period. It was for high "rate of" against massed troops at ranges not exceeding 50-75 yards.

Chinese repeating crossbow:

Greece

In Grece in 399 BC was invented a mechanical arrow firing catapult called katapeltikon. This weapon was later used in battles. In 3rd century BC engineer Ctesibius invented hand held crossbow gastraphetes (belly shooter). Gastraphetes was using composite bow and was cocked by resting the stomach in a concavity on the rear of the stock and presing down. It was a big weapon.

Gastraphetes:

Roman empire

Romans was using huge siege machine that was made by the same principle as a crossbow. In Roman times crossbow was named arcubalista. Romans was using ordinary small hand held crossbows arcubalista. Vegetius (4th century) write about it in his treties on military art. Manuballista hand held crossbow was also used by Romans.

Roman arcubalista:
 

Manuballista:

Crossbow terminology

Crossbow is called by many names most of wich is derived by term Balista. Balista was great siege engine resembling a crossbow, though much larger in size.

Arbalist - Latin language term for crossbow.
Arbalète - Term for crossbow in France and Belgium.
Armbrust - German language term for crossbow.
Arrow - Projectile consisting of shaft with pointed head (arrowhead), vanes for flight-stabilazing and  nock. Term arrow is used by modern crossbow manufactureres.
Back of bow - The side of bow facing target.
Barreled crossbow - Crossbow having turbular barrel; used to shoot balls; also called slurbow.
Bastard string - String to brace a crossbow for installation the bowstring.
Belly of bow - The side of bow facing shooter.
Bolt - Short heavy projectile for crossbow; several times heavier than a arrow.
Bowstring - String used on crossbow to transfe energy fros bow to projectile.
Braced height - Distance between braced bowstring and belly side of riser, measured from the bowstring's centre.
Broadhead - Type of arrowhead, used mainly for hunting.
Bullet crossbow - Crossbow designed to shoot bullets.
Butt - The rearmost portion of the tiller.
Center shot - Crossbow lath designed so that the projectile passes through its center, centre-shot crossbows often have two separate limbs.
Cock - To draw bowstring from braced position to latched position.
Cocking lugs - Metal pins on crossbow for anchoring bending lever, cranequin or goat's foot.
Cocking peg - Peg required to set some crossbow trigger mechanisms prior to cocking.
Cocking ring - Metal ring bound to the front of the lath to anchor bending lever.
Cockscombing - Method of serving sometimes used on loops of crossbow bowstrings.
Cord and pulley - Cocking aid consisting of cord with ends attached to crossbow butt and user's belt running through a pulley attached to bowstring.
Cranequin - Cocking device using rack and pinion.
Crossbow - Archery weapon consisting of a bow mounted to a rigid stock.
Dry fire - To release cocked bowstring without projectile.
Endcap - protective cap to protect rear of bolt.
Goats foot - Two-piece hinged cocking lever designed to pull bowstring from behind.
Latch - Mechanism in the tiller of a crossbow to hold the bowstring in the cocked position, which also releases the bowstring when the trigger is released.
Lath - Bow portion of a crossbow storing motive energy for propelling projectile.
Limb - Portion o lath left or right from center.
Manubalista - Smaller form of ballista.
Nock - Groove on the back of a bolt or arrow into which the bow string is placed.
Nose - Forward end of crossbow.
Power stroke - Distance between braced and cocked string positions.
Prod - Bow portion of crossbow.
Quiver - Container for carrying arrows or bolts.
Riser - Non-bending centre of bow.
Safety - Device used to prevent crossbow from shooting unintentionally.
Spanning - Physical act of cocking a crossbow.
Stirrup - Device for holding the crossbow with feet while cocking.
Stock (or tiller) - Portion of the crossbow to which all other components are attached and by which it is held.
Track - Grooved portion of the crossbow between the bow and latch where the projectile rides.
Windlass - Crossbow cocking device using a system of pulleys and cords.


Medieval crossbow parts:

Modern compound crossbow parts:

Crossbow basic

Crossbow is a weapon consisting of stock called tiller, and horizontaly mounted bow that shoots projectiles, called bolts. It is very importent historical weapon, and today weapon.

All elements of crossbow is: bow, stock (tiller), bow string, trigger, cylindrical pawn (nut) to retain the string, stirrup.

Photos of crossbows (first - medieval, second - modern):