History Of Archery

To understand the history of archery in the context of the Middle Ages, it is important to understand the time frames referenced. Generally speaking, historians will accept medieval history to range from about 476 AD (some sticklers for accuracy pinpoint the date to be September 4th of that year when the Roman Empire is thought to officially have fallen) until the day that Constantinople was overtaken by the Ottomans on May 29th, 1453 AD. In terms of European history, this places the Middle Ages just before the renaissance.

Archery history sees this time period as one of rise as well as decline. Yet while stories of and ballads glorify the archers as the carefree man whose bow and arrow keep villains at bay, archery history facts beg to differ. Those who plied their trade of archery within the ranks of the military were considered to be the lowest of the low, little more than the pawns used to create a diversion among the enemies while the real fighters, usually the sword wielders, would enter the fray and decide the battle. It is interesting to note that the history of archery showcases the bow and arrow to be a playing instrument for children.

On the other hand, there are the Middle Ages’ famous archers. In history class you may have heard of Magnus Barefoot, prince of Norway and later on king in 1093. A history of archers lists him as one of the individuals who put archery on the forefront of winning battles, and would have continued to build a Norwegian Empire, had he not met with an ambush while on campaign. Thus, the history of medieval archery is also closely intertwined with the history of empire building and king making.

Archery history and facts evidence that not only the Vikings were taking a second look at the bows and arrows, but instead a thorough study of the history of archery demands the student to realize that the English came to use this weapon with unprecedented effectiveness; a history of archery bows indicates that the English longbows became so efficient that they were not only used in battle but also in tournaments.

A short history of archery revels that once archery entered the world of tournaments and thus caught the eyes of kings and potentates, the history of archery sees a sharp increase in popularity as well as a striving toward, lighter and better bows as well as lighter and better arrows. With arrow heads beginning to become honed, sharpened, and aerodynamically more effective, the history of archery shows them to be one of the first armor piercing weapons. This actually led to the use of the crossbow as the alternative to poison for the stealthy killing of rivals, nobility, and of course head of state. Leisurely perusal of the medieval history of archery will find various assassinations that took place with a crossbow.