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:
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