Wednesday, March 7, 2012

How might the longbow and gunpowder technology have changed what weapons were used on medieval battlefields?

10 POINTS TO ANYONE WHO ANSWERSHow might the longbow and gunpowder technology have changed what weapons were used on medieval battlefields?
Longbow, made the classic attack of sword, lance or joust useless, for the most part. When someone could kill a soldier from a hundred yards, there was no need to get close enough for horse or foot soldier to fight.

Gunpowder brought in the canon, and this was a weapon that was effective even farther than the long bow. It could kill multiple people at long range, plus, it made the stone castle obsolete, because canon balls could blast them apart.How might the longbow and gunpowder technology have changed what weapons were used on medieval battlefields?
Both technologies reduced the value of armor.



The longbow and crossbow made pikes and other fixed staves much more important because if cavalry charged the archers it would wipe them out. This necessitated the developed of pikes, hedgehogs and other defenses that could protect the archers from horses.



Halberds and hooks became important as anti-cavalry weapons. This is because gunpowder made standing engagements much more risky so fighting emphasized raids and skirmishes. To protect against raids you needed dispersed infantry armed with weapons that could unhorse cavalry, hence the increasing use of halberds.



Eventually gunpowder led to the extinction of the knight and their lances. This occurred with the development of the wheelock pistol. With such a pistol, a musketeer on horseback could easily kill any armored knight.

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