How did the crossbow change medieval warfare against armored knights?
The crossbow revolutionized medieval warfare by allowing common soldiers to pierce heavy plate armor from a distance.
Crossbows used mechanical tension to fire bolts with enough force to penetrate expensive armor. Unlike longbows, which required years of elite training, a crossbow could be mastered quickly by an average foot soldier. This shift famously neutralized the defensive advantage of the knightly class during the 14th century.
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The crossbow's lethality stemmed from its ability to store massive amounts of potential energy in its stiff limbs, often made of wood, horn, or steel. While a standard longbow relied on the physical strength of the archer, the crossbow used a mechanical winch or lever to draw the string. This allowed for draw weights exceeding 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), generating enough kinetic energy to punch through steel plate armor.Historically, the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 highlighted the vulnerability of armored nobility to projectile weapons. However, the crossbow was particularly feared because it democratized lethality. A peasant could be trained to use a crossbow in weeks, whereas a longbowman required a lifetime of practice to develop the necessary muscle structure and accuracy.The threat to the social order was so great that the Catholic Church attempted to intervene. In 1139, the Second Council of the Lateran, under Pope Innocent II, issued a decree banning the use of crossbows against Christians, calling the weapon 'hateful to God.' Despite this ban, the tactical advantages were too significant to ignore, and the weapon became a staple of European warfare until the widespread adoption of gunpowder.
Verified Fact
FP-0004224 · Feb 18, 2026