Fascinating facts about medieval bows
Medieval bows were not mere weapons of war or hunting. For centuries, they represented an advanced combination of engineering, empirical knowledge of materials, and tactical adaptation to combat. Below, we explore some of the most interesting and documented facts about the bows used in the Middle Ages.
1. The English longbow could pierce armor
One of the most famous bows of the Middle Ages is the English longbow. Made primarily of yew wood, this bow could measure between 1.80 and 2 meters in length. Ballistic studies and historical reenactments have shown that, at short or medium ranges, arrows fired by a longbow with a draw weight of between 80 and 160 pounds could pierce chainmail and even low-quality steel plates, especially at favorable angles.
It is no coincidence that the longbow was decisive in battles such as Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415).
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2. Learning to use a bow required years of training
Unlike other medieval weapons, the bow could not be used effectively without prolonged training. In England, since the 13th century, there were laws that mandated men to practice archery regularly, especially on Sundays and holidays.
The physical development of archers was so intense that osteological analyses of medieval skeletons show characteristic bone deformations in the shoulders, arms, and spine, caused by decades of continuous use of the bow.
3. The arrows were as important as the bow
The performance of a medieval bow depended largely on the arrows. These were not universal: they varied in length, weight, and type of head depending on their use.
Some common head types were:
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Bodkin: narrow and designed to pierce armor.
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Broadhead: wide and sharp, used for hunting or against unarmored enemies.
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Incendiary or whistling heads: used to cause fires or psychological effects.
In military campaigns, armies could consume tens of thousands of arrows in a single day, which required considerable logistics.
4. The composite bow was technologically superior, but less common in Western Europe
While single-piece wooden bows predominated in Western Europe, the composite bow, made of wood, horn, and sinew, was used in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
These bows were shorter, more powerful, and efficient, ideal for mounted archers. However, their manufacture was complex, expensive, and very sensitive to humidity, which explains why they did not become popular in regions like England or France.
5. Not all archers were peasants
Although the medieval archer is often associated with the lower classes, many professional archers enjoyed good pay, prestige, and even war booty. In England, royal archers were paid regularly and could climb the social ladder.
In addition, some military orders and city-states maintained permanent corps of archers, trained and equipped by the local authority.
6. The bow did not disappear immediately with gunpowder
Contrary to popular belief, bows were not immediately replaced by firearms. During the 15th and 16th centuries, bows and arquebuses coexisted on the battlefield.
The bow remained faster to fire, more reliable, and did not depend on gunpowder, which was expensive and difficult to transport. In fact, the English army used archers in conflicts until the end of the 16th century.
7. Many medieval bows have been preserved thanks to shipwrecks
One of the most important archaeological findings related to medieval bows comes from the shipwreck of the Mary Rose, an English warship that sank in 1545. More than 130 longbows and thousands of arrows were recovered from it, which has allowed for the study of their design, dimensions, and real power with great precision.
Thanks to these findings, it is now known that medieval bows were much more powerful than was thought for decades.
Medieval bows were complex tools, the result of centuries of technical refinement and practical experience. Far from being primitive weapons, they represented one of the most effective ballistic systems in pre-industrial history and played a decisive role in the evolution of medieval warfare.
Their legacy lives on today, both in experimental archaeology and modern traditional archery. We hope you enjoyed it!
