The crossbow. The supreme siege weapon back in the time of the Middle Ages, consisting of a taught bow attached to a long handle, which was typically crafted from wood. The crossbow contained a groove in the shaft to aim and control the bolt of the bow, the string, held in cocked position, all with a trigger ready to be pulled and release havoc upon your enemies. Truly a deadly masterpiece.
The crossbow was quite a significant technological advancement for mankind, and while the origination of the weapon is unknown, the earliest record of the device dates all the way back to the 900s, in advanced Italian towns. The aspect of the crossbow that gave it such danger was the iron/steel used to replace the wooden aspects in the bow’s production. Metallic crossbows were usually curved two different ways. In the earlier version the weilder of the weapon would place the weapon down, bow facing the ground and the crock facing the sky. By placing your foot in a stirrup on the lower part of the stock, it will catch the bowstring by a hook, typically suspended from your belt. Next you stand up, and bring the bowstring back to the locking device into the long groove in the crossbow’s shaft.
In later versions of the bow, the stirrup was used, however, a winch was used to draw back the bowstring. A small lever would then cause the release of the bolt, which is able to pierce both chain mail armor and a bulletproof vest, reaching distances of nearly one thousand feet.
The crossbow was a powerful weapon that has faded into the background with the development of rifles, however, we must never forget that once upon a time, this weapon was truly an invention to behold.
LEARN MORE:
https://todsworkshop.com/blogs/blog/a-short-history-of-the-crossbow
https://www.historyofarchery.com/archery-history/history-of-crossbows/
