3.6.2
The knight in battle
As SOURCE1 shows, a heavily armed warrior on horseback was meant to terrorise and destroy foot soldiers. The decapitated body at the bottom of the panel demonstrates the effectiveness of a charging knight. The knight used an arsenal of heavy iron weapons. Swords, maces and battle axes were common. However, the lance appears to have been the favoured weapon: it helped to put distance between the knight and the infantry soldier he was fighting. As a last resort, the knight’s wooden shield could be used as a weapon — swiping at someone with its rim could cause severe wounds. The armour was both heavy and awkward. The coats of mail worn by the fighters in SOURCE5 could weigh more than 15 kilograms. It was no easy task to wear such a cumbersome outfit on horseback and fight furiously in battle. 3.6.3 Medieval warfare Medieval warfare was vastly different from modern warfare. Battles were fought with swords, axes, maces and arrows. The invention of gunpowder in the 14th century introduced guns and cannons, though early firearms were unreliable. Archers with longbows and crossbows remained crucial until gun technology improved by the late 15th century.
SOURCE2 The trebuchet was a kind of giant slingshot designed for hurling rocks at enemy armies and fortresses. Sometimes other missiles were used, including dead animals and slain enemies, with the twin aims of demoralising the enemy and spreading disease among the besieged population.
Medieval battles were chaotic and brutal, with hand-to-hand combat and tightly grouped formations. The noise of battle was intense up close but quieter from a distance compared to modern artillery . Knights on horseback charged to disrupt infantry formations, leading to horrific bloodshed. Battles were short but deadly, leaving fields strewn with bodies. There were no war cemeteries or pensions for soldiers. Disabled veterans often had to beg to survive, highlighting the harsh realities of medieval warfare. SOURCE3 From a chronicle describing the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, when the Scottish rebel leader Robert the Bruce defeated the English, who sought to control Scotland. Robert became King Robert I of Scotland. The two hosts (English and Scottish armies) came together, and the great steeds of the (English) knights dashed into the Scottish pikes as into a thick wood; there arose a great and horrible crash from rending [splitting] lances and dying horses, and they stood locked together.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. What was the primary purpose of the trebuchet in medieval warfare? 2. Besides rocks, what other types of missiles were used with the trebuchet? 3. How did using dead animals and slain enemies
as missiles affect the besieged population?
TOPIC3 Medieval Europe 67
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