The Middle Ages of our civilization is not only a romantic time for knights and tournaments.
It is also a dark story of crusades and brutal wars. Impassive medieval weapons determined the fate of cities and peoples.
Knight armament
The military squad was led by a knight. He was a rich man, able to independently provide himself with complex military equipment. His vestments consisted of chain mail or armor. Chain mail was woven from metal rings, while armor was made from strong forged sheets. A sturdy helmet with a slit for the eyes was worn over his head. The knight was armed with a long, heavy spear with a piercing tip.
The knight's sword inflicted stabbing or slashing blows and parried the enemy's blows. In many cultures, the sword is a heraldic symbol of glory, valor and honor.
A round or elongated shield served as the protection of the knight. The outer surface was decorated with a family coat of arms or a special sign of a military alliance. The side edges were reinforced with metal or leather. The shield could have many attachments, such as a pistol hole, a flashlight, or sharp lances. The shield was held by the handle from the inside.
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Armament of vigilantes
The infantry was supplied with short spears, wooden clubs, clubs, metal clubs. Clubs with a movable core attached to them by a chain were called the "morning star". A battle ax - an ax, an ax mounted on a long shaft - a berdysh, as well as a spear paired with an ax - a halberd were widely used.
An obligatory part of the medieval army was well-trained or hired archers. They used a long arched yew bow up to 2.1 m long. In order for the arrow to fly far enough, and at the same time the arrow could penetrate the enemy's armor, its shaft was made of heavy wood species, and the tip was massive.
During the time of the Crusades, the crossbow (crossbow) is widely used. The bowstring was released mechanically. They fired small arrows or bullets from a crossbow. It was a more expensive weapon than a bow and less rapid-fire. The crossbow was commonly used during sieges and in naval battles.
Wall battering tools
A formidable medieval weapon - the trebuchet throwing machine, or frondibola, was called vice in Russia. It used the principle of leverage and gravity to throw stones. The heavy gates of the fortresses were knocked out with battering weapons - a ram.
Firearms
At the end of the Middle Ages, firearms appear. These are hand-held long-barreled muskets, smooth-bore arquebusses. Cannons were widely used on land and at sea.