Military
From Medieval Wiki
By David Krakaur and Jack Manolius
Military glory—the attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood.
-Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always.
-Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)
Contents |
Introduction
Welcome to David and Jack's Military Wiki Page! Here, we will explain about medieval weapons, tactics, and castles (as well as other military buildings). First, let us give some background information. The medieval period lasted from about 500 C.E. to 1500 C.E. It was a time of warring and sadness. Many people were killed, tortured, and tricked. Had these dark times not occurred, however, many inventions and Technology would not be part of our life today. Although these times were probably awful to live through, they have greatly influenced modern society. Here's a website that has information on almost everything!
Weapons and Military Units
There were many different empires/groups in the medieval ages, so we will include most of the weapons of the Middle Ages. If you want detailed pictures on many weapons and armor, check out this site!
The Vikings
The Vikings brought new weapons, tactics, and ideas to medieval Europe. Although the Vikings used swords and other military weapons, the main weapon that they brought to Europe was the battle axe, which has a differently shaped head that can be used for a variety of tactics. One of these tactics was to trip an enemy with the hooked part on the bottom of the head of the axe (see image).
Despite the importance of the battle axe, the most common Viking weapon was the spear, which was generally owned by anyone who could not afford a sword or axe. Swords were preferred to spears, but they were uncommon. This is because they were very expensive and difficult to make.
Although the Vikings were very effective at warfare, they had two fatal flaws. The first was that they used hardly any armor. They based their warfare on fast-moving and strong units. The other flaw was that they hardly ever used ranged weapons! When going into war, half the Viking army would be dead by the time that enemy armies met them at close range because the other armies would just shoot at them from far away.
We got all of our Viking info on this Viking site. Spend some time and look around. This site is spectacular!
The French
France was a group of many diverse people from Germanic tribes (the Franks), the distinctly western-styled French, and, later, the Scandinavians. This led to an interesting blend of infantry and weaponry. The most common weapons were spears, swords and, later, crossbows. There were actually only two main differences between the French and the English. The first was the French use of crossbows. As soon as the crossbow was invented (possibly in Italy), the French incorporated it into their military strategy. Although the crossbow couldn't fire as far as a longbow, it was highly accurate for its time. The English hardly ever used crossbowmen, essentially switching straight from longbows to guns.
The other difference was much more significant. The French also used great numbers of Knights on large warhorses that charged into battle carrying pikes, lances (see Jousting), and spears. This made the French very powerful in battles, especially in open areas because they could move at least twice as fast as other enemy units. Surprisingly, they were not one of the most powerful forces in the medieval time period for the following reasons.
Although knights on horseback were very effective against enemies, the other parts of the French forces were not. It took a lot of time and money to train and support a fully armored knight with good weapons on a huge warhorse that also sometimes had armor. Horses alone could cost up to as much as a car costs today! Paying the blacksmith to make the armor and weapons wasn't cheap either. These expenses meant that the French had fewer trained infantry units with good weapons and instead, more peasants with pitchforks. This meant that while the knights were prancing around, the farmers and slaves (the backbone of society back then) were being slaughtered.
The Normans
You've most likely never heard of the Normans, so here's some brief background information. The Normans were a group of Vikings that settled in France and adopted the French language and Christian faith. Later, this group of people conquered England. For 300 years, the people of England didn't speak English. Eventually, the English revolted, starting the Hundred Years' War.
Because of the Normans' French immersion and Viking roots, they had a very interesting fighting style. Like the Vikings, they used strong, heavy weapons, such as large swords, axes, and spears. However, they also used a lot of heavy horsemen and armor, like the French. Because they incorporated strategies and tactics from their diverse background, the Normans had few or no flaws in their military style. As a result, the Normans were successful in battle until the invention of gunpowder!
The Normans' most successful units were simply their infantry units. They were armed with large tower shields that covered their whole body. That way the powerful infantry could stand behind these metal barriers and slice and chop at enemy forces.
The English
The English used pretty much the same weapons as the French, with some simple exceptions. They used bladed weapons including daggers and swords. They used bludgeons such as clubs and maces. They also used weapons fitted on long poles like spears, Halberds (click here for picture), and javelins.
The main important weapon that the English had was the longbow. This bow was widely used among English ranks because of its fast shot speed, powerful shots, long range, and high effect en masse. Although the longbow was slightly inaccurate at a long range, the English used so many longbow men in their army that arrows would rain down upon their enemies' heads.
Compared to the French, who were strong in close-quarters combat, the English were much more ranged. The French used crossbows because they were easy to use and accurate. The English, on the other hand, preferred to use longbows, which required more skill but could also be used to more effect. The English were so dedicated to the longbow that they used it even after the invention of gunpowder! The other difference was that the French used many more cavalry than the English.
The main disadvantage that longbow men had was that they were useless in melee combat, meaning that the English had to end a battle quickly or else the advancing enemy would mow through the defenseless English ranks of bowmen.
The Mongols
Mongols were very different from other medieval civilizations. Most had a few horses. Out of ten Mongolian soldiers, six were horse archers (called Keshiks) and the other four were more heavy cavalry, like lancers. When the Mongols attacked, the Keshiks would rain down arrows (similar to longbow men). If the enemy forces clumped together, they would be easier targets for the arrows. But if the enemy spread apart, the lancers would charge the vulnerable and sparse enemy, and quickly destroy them.
The Mongols, like the Normans, had no weaknesses. Like those fighting the English, the Mongol enemy's numbers would be quite thinned out before they could make melee contact, if they even did at all. Most Mongolian soldiers were mounted, and this gave them superior speed and made possible a whole range of previously unheard of tactics. Because of horses' importance, every soldier would have 3-4 horses! When one got tired, another would be used, and so on. This enabled the Mongols to have fresh horses, another huge advantage. Overall, the Mongols were very tough and had no huge weaknesses. We learned a ton from this Amazing Mongol book. The official citation is also in our bibliography, but this is where you can see it for yourself.
The Japanese
If you think of a Japanese warrior or ninja, the other things that come to mind are shuriken. These are small star-shaped throwing daggers that would spin around. Although they could not penetrate armor, they were often used against unarmed targets, and poison would be applied. Contrary to popular belief, shuriken were used mostly as secondary weapons, to distract or weaken a target.
The Japanese were not totally unique in their weapons. They also used bows. Unlike European bows, Japanese bows were huge, around seven feet. Bows would be made of hardwood laminated with bamboo. The arrows would be made of bamboo and birds' feathers. Bamboo is the best wood for making bows and the Japanese bows were deadly. The Japanese also used spears but these did not differ much from those of the Europeans.
If the Japanese had been attacked by the Europeans, they would have been easy targets. Japan had many leaders struggling for power and, as a result, was constantly plagued by war. It was almost as if Japan was in a constant civil war. This left Japan fragmented and with a weakened military. Japan was very lucky. Twice, the Mongols attempted to invade, and both times they were driven back by hurricanes. If the Mongols had arrived, their superior army and tactics would have easily destroyed a Japan that was essentially ripe for the taking.
Tactics
Formations
Many tactics were used in medieval warfare. Some were just formations, while others were a little bit more... interesting. Whether effective or not, they are fun and exciting to learn about.
English and French Formations:
The English and French formation concepts were the same, but the tactics were different. The overall concept of the two was to have infantry and cavalry in the front with many standing archers directly behind them.
The English usually liked to fight defensively, meaning they let their opponents come to them. They would have unmounted lance and pike men holding their long weapons out in front of the rest of the army, which would be almost entirely composed of archers. Seeing as 6,000 archers could shoot about 250,000 arrows in a matter of minutes, the approaching enemy forces would be much smaller and unorganized by the time they even started hand-to-hand combat with the English infantry and horsemen. If the English were on their home ground, they would place defensive objects like caltrops, wooden spikes, and nails on the ground. These would slow down infantry (step carefully!) and completely trip up and immobilize cavalry.
The French, on the other hand, used a little less strategy. Although they almost always had combat units in the front, and long-ranged units in the back, their "tactic" was just a full-on charge. They believed it was the most honorable way to wage war.
Viking Formations:
The two main Viking formations were based on two very different concepts, yet both were reasonably effective. The first was somewhat like the French and the English tactics. It was called a shield-wall formation. The Vikings would line up next to each other and interlock their shields. This way it was nearly impossible to strike the Viking spear men behind the line of thick metal. While the enemy struggled to get through the line, they would be stabbed by the fully protected pole arm wielders.
The other Viking technique was a little more obscure and slightly more risky. Called "The Boar Snout," it involved a group of strong Viking soldiers charging full speed at the enemy to trip, trample, and disorganize their units. Contrary to common sense, the Viking leader would lead "The Boar Snout"! The belief was that he earned this honorable spot in the military. Once the enemy was disorganized, they became easier to slaughter!
Norman Formations:
Although the Normans were similar to the French and Vikings, their war tactics were very different. They were more thought-out and creative. This is why the Normans were so successful. They out fought their competitors. We'll describe their two main formations.
The Normans, like the French, used many cavalry units. Their first strategy was really a type of army rather than a strategy. It was to have the same amount of cavalry as infantry! This worked for a long time because the cavalry, although expensive, were very effective during this time period. The formation to accompany this army would be a small amount of lancers in the front (to scare the opposing army), then all the foot solders behind them to kill as many of the army as possible. Finally, the rest of the cavalry would be waiting behind them to "mop up" any remaining enemies.
Their other formation was more strategic. Because their enemies (like the Vikings) used tactics that involved tight lines, closely knit infantry, and interlocking shields, the Normans were a lot more mobile than their enemies. Sometimes their enemies would form perfect lines that protected their units perfectly, but the Normans had a solution for this. They would pretend to retreat, drawing the overly aggressive enemies out of their formations. Then the Norman horsemen would charge back at the unorganized blob of solders, hacking them to pieces.
Mongol Formations:
The Mongols were one of the most successful at besieging other civilizations in all of Asia during this time period. Besieging is a way of trapping a civilization inside its own city walls and forcing them to die of disease and starvation, or to surrender. It was very effective once the area was controlled by the sieging party, but this position was very hard to gain. All civilizations used this tactic, but the Mongols perfected it. Their strategy was simple, destroy the army in open battle away from the enemy's home, and then wreak havoc on the unprotected castle miles away.
But the way they destroyed their enemies was not as simple. They would form many small, mobile (almost all Mongol units were mounted) groups of units that shot (they used lots of mounted archers) at the enemies before the enemy had a chance. And if the enemy army reached these mounted bowmen, the archers would ride around to the back of the enemy and start shooting at them again. This cycle continued until the enemy was dead. It was very efficient because when the enemy was unable to attack these moving solders. After the battle, the Mongols would advance towards the city. On the way, they would destroy any signal towers that might report to the main civilization. This way, when they arrived at the enemy castle, they would destroy everything around it (like farms) to cut of all supplies. This would lead to a successful siege and more land for the Mongol civilization.
Japanese Formations:
Little is known about Japanese war tactics and formations, so we will do our best to summarize.
The Japanese used many slaves and working people in their armies. They weren't especially good at their military duties, but the large amounts of these militia men would overwhelm the enemy because of the sheer amount of units in an army. These lower-class solders would use cheap weapons like spears, sickles, pitchforks, (and later) guns, or anything else that was sharp or heavy that they could find on their farm. This meant that every time a large battle would occur between the Japanese and their enemies, the economy would suffer due to the loss of the working class. This was not the most efficient way to wage war, but at least Japan would have a lot of warriors fighting for their nation.
Although, the majority of their army was made up of poor civilians, there would be other (trained) units like archers, horsemen, and Samurai. Samurai were usually swordsmen but they were also sometimes mounted. They were trained in martial arts and, therefore, were not only skilled with a blade but also flexible, agile, and brave. These skilled warriors would be "Japan's Secret Weapon." They would sift through the bloody battlefield assisting in kills and engaging in their own combat, sometimes against two or three enemy units!
There were good parts and bad parts to this strategy. The good part is, because all Japanese civilians were slightly trained in war, it would be very hard for an attacking enemy to overtake a Japanese city. On the other hand, every time an army left for battle, the home city's economy would take a huge hit. It is debatable whether this was a good strategy.
Artillery
Mechanical Artillery Machines: Mechanical Artillery weapons are machines of war that do NOT use gunpowder or other reations to power the machine. Many of the same medieval groups used the same types of Artillery. They are (click on names for pictures):
-Ballista: A large crossbow first used in Ancient Greece. During medieval times, it was altered to fire large arrows (bolts)
-Battering Ram: A heavy piece of wood with a metal head on the front. It would take many strong men to swing one against the enemies castle gates.
-Catapult: A large, spoon-like piece of wood on a wood frame on wheels. Infantry units would put boulders and other projectiles in the spoon, which would be cocked back by a piece of rope or fabric. Cut the fabric and watch the projectiles fly!
-Mangonel: Another type of Catapult that could fire projectiles a much longer distance (1,300 feet!). It would be used to throw not only stones but also human heads and decaying bodies (to lower the morale of the defending army)!
-Onager: Yet another type of catapult using the power of twisted ropes to get its power. Instead of a long spoon, the firing piece was a wooden beam with a sling on the end.
-Siege Tower: A siege tower was a large, hardly mobile structure that would carry infantry safely to the enemy walls and then deposite them there, on top of the walls. Some were equiped with battering rams and/or archers.
-Trebuchet: A stone-flinging object that used a counterweight. The sling would be tied down before shooting, leaving the counterweight hanging. When the rope was cut, the counterweight would quickly pull the wood beam up and over the pivot point which would fling the projectile very long distances (See David's images at the bottom).
Chemical Artillery Inventions
Chemical artillery is any machine of war that used energy from reations to cause terror. Again, because this technology was so new and effective, almost every civilization had its own type of these weapons below (click on names to see pictures).
-Gunpowder: An invention that is believed to have taken place in China in the middle ages. A useful invention (still used today) that would be put into early guns, cannons, and bombards. It was a very flammable powder that would be put in guns to cause explosions to fire projectiles out of and aimmed barrel at high speeds.
-Greek Fire: A type of fire (invented in ancient Greece) used by groups in the middle east that could not be put out by water. It is now believed to have been animal oils that the attacking party would spray out of a nozzle and then light on fire. At the time, it was believed to be fire from hell, and unstoppable. Because of it's success, it was kept a secret and never written down. No one to this day knows the exact recipe.
-Quicklime: Ground up sandstone heated to over 1,250 F! This finely graind sandlike powder was then put in cannons, airblowing devices, and Trebuchets to cover the enemy. The highly acidic rock particles reacted to any water they could find: water sources, puddles, and even the water in enemies eyes. This water+Quicklime combination would cause extremely hot reactions, evaporating water and burning enemy eyes to a crisp!
Castles
Attacking Castles
Castles were mighty figures in the Middle Ages, especially in wartime. Although arrows could rain down on and defeat an army in a short periods of time, they (and other medieval weapons) were rather ineffective against solid four-foot-thick walls. This meant that directly assaulting a castle would be suicidal, because the archers and crossbowmen on top of the walls would kill anything within range. Because of this, other tactics for taking down a castle had to be invented. They include:
Besieging
Besieging was an easy and logical tactic. If you are defenseless against enemies inside a castle, why not bring them out? This was done by simply waiting outside an enemy's castle. If you have an entire army surrounding a castle, not much can be done to help it or to provide supplies. As the attacking army waited (with plenty of resources rolling in), the castle's supplies would start to dwindle. To speed surrender, attackers might hurl dead animals over the walls of a castle, attempting to spread disease. They might also launch the heads of dead defending soldiers over the walls. As you can imagine, having heads rain down on them would demoralize and frighten the castle inhabitants, to say the least. The inhabitants might even force the ruler to surrender and stop the lives being lost.
Siege
Although you may think that they are the same, sieging is quite different than besieging. A siege meant that the invaders would strategically attack the enemy fort with siege weapons. The valiant knight charging towards the gates of a castle and decapitating enemies who rush out to meet him only happens in movies. In reality, the invading party would send a messenger with a note that they intended to attack, and give the defenders a chance to surrender!
During a siege, soldiers would pelt the castle with large rocks, using a mangonel (see tactics section). Underground, "sappers" would undermine the walls. A team of sappers would dig a tunnel under the castle walls, supporting it with wooden beams so the huge weight above would not cause a cave-in. Then, fat or oil would be left in the tunnel and the sappers would evacuate. A single man would light the oil on fire and then run out, causing the beams and the wall to collapse! Once this was done, the bulk of the army could move in and take out the exposed innards of the castle.
Bibliography
Online Resources:
-http://www.essortment.com/all/whoweremoorsi_ogk.htm
-http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/arms.htm
-http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/smallarms/p/englongbow.htm
-http://www.fidnet.com/~weid/midageindex.htm
-http://www.medieval-spell.com/Medieval-Warfare-Weapons.html
-http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01895/weapons.htm
-http://www.medieval-life.net/medieval_history_france.htm
-http://www.chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/medieval.html
-http://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Main_Page
-http://www.hyw.com/books/history/Recruiti.htm
-http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/artillery
-http://digilander.libero.it/tepec/vikcombat.htm
-http://harn-fan.net/castellan/feudal_tactics_ref.htm
-http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castle6.htm
-http://www.aeragon.com/o/ar/index.html
-http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/japan/War/War_warfare_weapons.html
Books:
-Kerrod, Robin, Wendy Madgwick, Sarah Reed, Fergus Collins, and Philip Brooks. 1000 Questions and Answers. Boston, Massachusetts: Kingfisher, 2002.
-Armento, Beverly J., J. Jorge Klor de Alva, Gary B. Nash, Christopher L. Salter, Louis E. Wilson, and Karen K. Wixson. Across the Centuries. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991.
-Nicolle, David. Grananda 1492: The Twilight of Moorish Spain. Osprey Publishing,
-Turnbull, Stephen, and Wayne Reynolds. Mongol warrior 1200-1350. Oxford: Osprey, 2003.
Articles:
http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/quicklime
Warwick Castle
A while ago, I went to Warwick Castle. Warwick Castle is an English castle, built in 1068. Now it is very touristy, but they do teach you some history! These are all pictures that my family took while I was there. See the captions next to and below the images for a better explanation.
This is one of the views of Warwick Castle.
This is a man firing a longbow. A longbow is so strong, you can't have it drawn back and aim, because you would rip your shoulder (literally). We caught him right as he was firing.
Yes, this is a trebuchet. And yes, it does work. Yes, Warwick Castle is that awesome.
If you are wondering, what you see is the round part near the bottom on the trebuchet. Yes, it is a human-sized hamster wheel. People would walk in these to wind the trebuchet up for firing.
The trebuchet is about to fire. Don't believe me? Just wait.
Here we go...
(This is going pretty darn fast, by the way)
Up.. up..
Pretty spectacular, eh?
Back it goes...
This is the big iron ball that it fired.
Just the force of launching that sends it flying back and forth!
Me and my pal Lancelot getting suited up for the next big joust.
Oh yeah. Wonder where the iron ball went? This is the hole that it left, a few hundred yards away from the trebuchet (and my brother examining it)
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