Weapons of the Middle Age

The year is 1232.   Somewhere in northern Europe, a Saxon castle is


under attack.   In the fields for miles around, thousands of soldiers viciously fight.


Metal strikes metal, arrows strike flesh, rock strikes rock.   No matter how good


these soldiers are, the battle will ultimately be decided by weapons.


These weapons can be divided into three categories.   Melee, or hand-to-


hand weapons, include clubs, swords, daggers, saxes, hand axes, and some


spears.   Small-scale missile weapons include other spears, bows and arrows,


throwing axes, and crossbows.   Siege, or large-scale weapons, include


catapaults and battering rams.


Melee weapons were, perhaps, the most important ones in any medieval


battle.   The earliest melee weapons were clubs.   Existing from neanderthal


times, these simple thick sticks were quickly replaced by blade weapons.


However, some tribes continued to use clubs as throwing weapons.   Others


gave clubs to their leaders as batons of command.   Still other tribes placed


spikes on the ends of the clubs, turning them into maces.   Soon enough, maces


evolved into morning stars.   These were much like maces, except there was a


chain between the handle and the spiked head.   These turned out to be


cumbersome, and for the most part, ineffective, so they were retired to


tournaments and torture chambers.


Swords quickly became the most important weapon of medieval times.


This weapon was incredibly valuable to the medieval warrior.   Since they were


so difficult to make, they were very expensive, and they were passed down from


generation to generation.   Once a warrior had a good sword, he protected it with


his life.   Swords can be divided into three main parts.   They are, in order of


importance, the blade, the hilt, and the scabbard.


The blade of the sword was usually small and heavy.   The...