MIDIEVAL WEAPONS AND COMBAT - The Longbow (MIDDLE AGES BATTLE HISTORY DOCUMENTARY)

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• published: 11 May 2014
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MIDIEVAL WEAPONS AND COMBAT - The Longbow (MIDDLE AGES BATTLE HISTORY DOCUMENTARY) Presenter Mike Loades takes us on a fascinating tour of medieval arms and armour, and demonstrates their central role in key events in British history. As an expert who trains people how to use medieval weapons, Mike is in a unique position to show us how these weapons were made and used and their impact on British society. Using a well-known battle as the focus for each programme, and talking to modern-day experts, Mike shows us the properties of each weapon and how effective it would have been in battle. We learn about much more than the weapons themselves as the series draws in themes of technology, religion, geography and even music. THE LONGBOW The incredible English victory at the Battle of Crecy (part of the Hundred Years War with France) would never have happened without the might of the longbow. Just a simple piece of wood, and yet it could be made into a deadly weapon. At the time of the Hundred Years War the English were superb longbow men, spending long hours practising and possessing great discipline. It is hard to image now the effect of over 7,000 archers shooting all at once! Mike Loades, series presenter, undertakes a number of experiments to establish how effective longbows would have been -- how far could they shoot and what damage they could do -- particularly against a French knight on horseback in full plate armour. We learn about the 'reflexed bow', a construction style that gave longbows great velocity, and that the Port of London was the centre of the bow-making industry. Working with a group of inexperienced volunteers, Mike demonstrates that it was possible to train a group of longbow men very quickly and so raise an army at short notice. Some longbow men were part of the cavalry, which gave them a high status. Working a horse and a longbow required great skill and Mike demonstrates some of the manoeuvres used. The French had 12,000 mounted knights in armour at the Battle of Crecy. The English had 2,500 mounted archers and 5,000 archers on foot, and this highly mobile force was key to the English victory. When the French charged at the English, the arrow storms would have been terrifying. Although protected by armour, many of the horses would have fallen, and without a horse, the French knights were an easy target for the English foot soldiers. Indeed, there were over 10,000 French casualties at Cressy and the French nobility was annihilated.