In medieval archery, it is said that the best archers were the English archers, whose bows played a key role in the battles of Crécy and Agincourt. Their achievements in sports competitions, battles, and hunting were also passed down in medieval songs. Outside of Europe, archery was of great importance in the peoples of the Near East.
At the end of the 14th century or the beginning of the 15th century, the story of Robin Hood emerged, a outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. He became famous for his great skill with the bow, being able to split an arrow with another.
In the Middle East, the superiority of the bow for centuries had a great impact, such as against the Romans, who, despite having one of the best armies, could do nothing against the Persian archers. The Mongols conquered parts of Europe, and the Turks stood out in the Crusades, both for their bow usage. The bow also played a major role in Asia, Central Africa, and the Arctic region.
Over time, the advent of gunpowder made the bow obsolete, especially in Europe. For example, English soldiers were experimentally equipped with firearms against the Spanish Armada in 1588, which helped secure the English victory. This contributed to the bow becoming ineffective in warfare.
The bow continued to be used in war by the peoples of East Asia until the 19th century, and to this day, it is still used by tribes in Central Africa and South America for hunting or combat.
The Medieval Longbow
The longbow was one of the best and most popular bows in medieval archery. Its size could reach a length of between 1.80 and 2 meters. It was a revolution when it appeared in Wales at the end of the 12th century, made from yew wood and capable of shooting over distances of 300 meters.
Currently, there is a movement to revive longbows in field archery, forest archery, and also in hunting.
Initially, these bows were straight and made of solid wood. Today, they are made from laminated wood and still use, more or less, traditional techniques and materials. They are rarely made from synthetic materials.
Its original design gives these bows traditional elements distinct from modern bows (arrow rests, sights, etc.), and those who use them tend to be lovers of classic archery, so it’s common for them to also use traditional elements like wooden arrows, natural feathers, leather, etc.
It should be noted that this bow is difficult to use, though it is compensated by its elegance and takes us back to traditional archery through its characteristics, which is a great incentive for many archers.
Curiosities of Medieval Archery
- The victory sign in the form of a V made with the fingers originates from medieval archers, who made this gesture before battle to signify they were archers and capable of shooting their arrows. If captured, archers could suffer the amputation of these fingers to prevent them from being used as archers.
- The word “quiver,” referring to the case or pouch for arrows, comes from the Persian word “Tarkas.”
- The haircut in the armies came from cutting the hair of archers so their long locks wouldn’t get tangled in the string when drawing the bow.
- The average training time for a medieval archer was at least 8 years.
- The glue used to attach feathers to arrows was made from pieces of leather, bone, and fish spines, which, when cooked, produced a paste mixed with quicklime. Birch resin was also used for this purpose.