Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I believe peasants were banned from having crossbows because they could punch through the armor of lords and Knights, and took very little skill to use. Many could use light hunting bows, but war bows, the longbows powerful enough to penetrate armor using arrows with "bodkin" tips required tremendous strength and long years of training to use. Crossbows were a force multiplier that would allow peasants to effectively attack or defend against men in plate armor, and were thus banned throughout Europe for much of history.
I believe peasants were banned from having crossbows because they could punch through the armor of lords and Knights, and took very little skill to use. Many could use light hunting bows, but war bows, the longbows powerful enough to penetrate armor using arrows with "bodkin" tips required tremendous strength and long years of training to use. Crossbows were a force multiplier that would allow peasants to effectively attack or defend against men in plate armor, and were thus banned throughout Europe for much of history.
This, although it wasn't just the peasants, the crossbows were declared "unchristian" and issued a bull against them by no less than the Pope himself. Although it didn't have a lasting effect, if any at all. They were still being used all over Europe, and actually became more and more widespread as the time went on.
The question is very vague and impossible to answer definitely because the "medieval Europe" is something that spans many hundred years and a couple thousand miles. The situation was different in different times and in different countries.
As a very general rule, in the early Middle Ages the peasants were required to own arms. That's because the armed peasant levies made up the bulk of a lord's fighting force, with professional men-at-arms forming a relatively small core.
The cost of a sword kept falling throughout this time, the "sword is as expensive as a village" stereotype is largely incorrect, at least for the late Middle Ages but perhaps for most of the period. At any rate, why would an average peasant even need or want a sword ? It was of absolutely no use for them 99% of the time, and required special training that they would likely never have to apply. They had spears (cheap, easy to manufacture, and useful in hunting where allowed), knives/saxes, spiked clubs, axes, shields, and some agricultural implements made very efficient fighting weapons (e.g. the famous Hussite flails).
I am sure there were areas where peasants were forbidden from owning or displaying weapons, but I think this would be closer to the Renaissance and very localized, although I have no real knowledge of this.
This, although it wasn't just the peasants, the crossbows were declared "unchristian" and issued a bull against them by no less than the Pope himself. Although it didn't have a lasting effect, if any at all. They were still being used all over Europe, and actually became more and more widespread as the time went on.
The directive was not a papal bull, but was mentioned in the Second
Lateran Council. It is disputed whether it was an actual final canon (29)
or was just a repetition of an earlier ban from the Lateran Synod of 1097.
These were not issuances of the Popes (correspondingly Innocent II, Urban II)
but were conciliar, meaning there was sufficient demand for the measures.
It wasn't about peasant use against knights, as some sort of "standing up
to oppression" which is non-historic and laughable. Probably more so it
was akin to the bans against behavior in knightly jousting that resulted in
gross injuries and deaths.
The ban is also misinterpreted to falsely suggest all use of projectile weapons,
when in reality it is talking about contests and wagers, not wars, and certainly
not wars against non-Christians. I wonder where we could get a copy of
this 43-page explanation ? (1)
As a very general rule, in the early Middle Ages the peasants were required to own arms. That's because the armed peasant levies made up the bulk of a lord's fighting force, with professional men-at-arms forming a relatively small core..
Yeap, no standing armies meant that the people became the army. Depending on period and region there was normally a sliding scale based on wealth to ensure that every man was equiped with the weapons/armour he could afford.
The English had the assize of arms which is pretty detailed. Later on men used to be referred to as Bows or Bills depending on whether they were required to have Longbows or were wealthy enough to be required to have a bill and plate harness.
The English laws went further in some periods, requiring all eligible men to train every Sunday and for towns/villages to put aside space for this purpose. Sports which could distract men from training where banned.
I think the progression in Nordic countries during the viking period was - axe / axe + shield / axe + shield + spear depending on wealth.
Incidently swords were essentially pistols / every day carries. In warefare spears and later pole arms where greatly prefered.
Were only nobles and knights allowed to have swords, maces, spears and other weapons of war, or could anyone , including peasants own these weapons in medieval times?
What about bows and arrows?
Are you asking about simply owning weapons for whatever reason, or are you asking about peasants being allowed to carry them when going about daily business?
Yeap, no standing armies meant that the people became the army. Depending on period and region there was normally a sliding scale based on wealth to ensure that every man was equiped with the weapons/armour he could afford.
The English had the assize of arms which is pretty detailed. Later on men used to be referred to as Bows or Bills depending on whether they were required to have Longbows or were wealthy enough to be required to have a bill and plate harness.
The English laws went further in some periods, requiring all eligible men to train every Sunday and for towns/villages to put aside space for this purpose. Sports which could distract men from training where banned.
I think the progression in Nordic countries during the viking period was - axe / axe + shield / axe + shield + spear depending on wealth.
Incidently swords were essentially pistols / every day carries. In warefare spears and later pole arms where greatly prefered.
Swords were indeed like pistols, a backup weapon in case your main weapon is lost.
So not the most popular weapon for a simple peasant, an axe could have many uses, sword only one.
The same way that the real cowboys relatively rarely packed a revolver, and far preferred a shotgun that could be used for hunting, protecting the livestock, and self-defense.
Archery was encouraged and widely practiced in late middle ages England. The vaunted English longbowman was developed in countless village shooting matches. The English nobility was apparently on a good enough basis with the peasantry to trust them not to plant a grey goose shaft in their masters chest.
That trust ended quickly once the English nobility saw how lethal longbowmen could be. Following the victories over the French, English nobility quickly withdrew their sponsorship of archery tournaments, nor would they allow peasants to practice archery while "on the clock"- and they were almost always "on the clock". In addition, they also discouraged bowyers from making bows for distribution to the general public.
With in a few years, the number of truly skilled peasant archers plummeted. Though some archers remained in English service, these were tightly controlled regulars and autonomous peasat levies.
How do these guys even dig up these threads from 2011?
You search for a topic and the board's software encourages you to add a response.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
