SOME OF THE WEAPONS OF MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS

The Crossbow

A crossbow is a bow mounted on a straight base. It fires projectiles called bolts, curves or bolts. This weapon began to evolve in the 10th century and replaced the traditional bow and arrow. Over time, a rail was added where the arrows were placed, which could pierce a cuirass from 100 meters away. The crossbow could be drawn with the foot or hand and had a trigger to fire. Pope Innocent II considered it a demonic weapon, prohibiting its use in Christian armies.

Bow

The bow is an elastic weapon, where a rope is tied at its ends and an arrow is placed in the center. The English longbow, used in the 11th century, measured up to 1.80 meters and could shoot between 10 and 12 arrows per minute. It took 8 years for English archers to master the use of the bow, which allowed them to achieve feats such as victory at the Battle of Agincourt.

Mace

The mace is a club with a metal ball at one end. Its use dates back to Prehistory, but it was in the Middle Ages that it became a symbol of power. From the 12th century, its metal head took on polygonal shapes with blades, designed to pierce metal armor.

Lance

The lance is a polearm with a sharp tip, commonly made of iron during the Middle Ages. It was one of the emblematic weapons of medieval knights, both on foot and on horseback, and was cheap to manufacture.

Flail

The flail or whip is a wooden stick with a chain that connects to a spiked metal head. This weapon was mainly used against armor and shields, but its handling required great training to avoid accidental injuries.

WHAT MEDIEVAL WEAPONS ARE CALLED

In addition to the weapons mentioned, there were many others in the Middle Ages such as: Viking and Roman shields, halberds, kukri, gladiator helmets, katanas, medieval swords, foils, Viking swords and Templar swords, among others.

The Pike

The pike is a long spear, about five meters, with a blade known as moharra. It was mainly used by newly recruited soldiers to stop enemy cavalry.

Chainmail

Chainmail offered resistance to cuts, but over time it was reinforced to better withstand attacks. Ringmail was worn in conjunction with the gambeson, a padded armor. However, with the advent of firearms, armor fell out of favor, though some could still withstand gunfire.

Gauntlets

Gauntlets became popular in the 14th century as hand protection for plate armor. In the 15th century, finger and joint protections were added, allowing for more mobility in combat. Gauntlets continued to be used through the 17th century, though firearms reduced their prominence.

The Axe

The axe was a widely used weapon by Vikings and peasants due to its low cost and ease of use. In combat, it could be wielded with one or two hands, and was very effective at crushing plate armour.

The Breastplate

The breastplate protected the chest in medieval armour. Sometimes, a surface was added to cover the lower part of the torso, while other pieces such as the skirt offered additional protection to the abdominal area.

The Dagger

Daggers were flat, bladed weapons, longer than daggers, but shorter than swords. They usually accompanied the sword in the less skilled hand, and some daggers bore religious inscriptions.

The Stiletto

The dagger is an offensive weapon shorter than the dagger and only wounds at the point. During the Middle Ages, the stiletto, a variant of the dagger, was feared for its triangular and narrow blade, which was sometimes impregnated with poison.

WHAT WERE THE FIRST FIREARMS?

Firearms in China

The origin of firearms is possibly in China, after the invention of gunpowder in the 9th century. The first devices consisted of bamboo tubes that were used to throw stones using the explosion of gunpowder.

Firearms of the 16th century

In the 16th century the musket appeared, one of the first firearms of great importance in European armies. It was extremely heavy and complicated to reload, since the fuse and the bullet had to be manually inserted into the barrel. Due to the length of the reloading process, after firing the first shot, soldiers often resorted to the sword to defend themselves while reloading.

17th Century Firearms

During the 17th century, the rifle replaced the musket due to its longer range and better aim. Although gunpowder and bullets were still required to be carried in a pouch, a skilled soldier could fire between two and three times per minute.

18th Century Firearms

In the 18th century, the breech-loading rifle was introduced, which was loaded through the stock using cartridges that included the bullet and gunpowder in a single package. This advancement allowed for up to seven shots per minute, a marked improvement over its predecessors.

In our online medieval store, you can find replicas of the first firearms, as well as some of the most representative in history, such as: carbines, rifles, muskets, pistols, revolvers, musketeers, rifles, blunderbusses and flintlock pistols.