1. How did weapons develop between 1250 and 1500?

2. Learning objective – to be able to identify changes and continuities in medieval weapons.
I can describe the key changes and continuities in medieval weapons. Grade 3
I can explain the key changes and continuities in medieval weapons Grade 6
I can explain and assess changes and continuities in medieval weapons.
Grade 9

4. How important was warfare during the medieval period?
Warfare was a normal, and accepted, part of medieval society.
Medieval England underwent prolonged periods of warfare, such as the Hundred Years War with France between 1337 and 1453 and the Wars of the Roses between 1455 and 1485.
As a result, weapons underwent significant change during this period …. Although some things did stay the same.

5. Why was the sword the central weapon of the medieval period?
The sword was the weapon of a knight and a gentleman throughout the medieval period.
However, swords did develop from the broad, hacking weapon dealing crushing blows to a more thinner and sharply pointed weapon designed to cut and pierce between armour plates.

6. How did the crossbow develop the medieval period?
The crossbow was not a new weapon – the Romans used a similar device – however, crossbows became more popular as technology allowed for hand-held crossbows to be made.
Crossbows fired thick bolts that could make a devastating impact. However, they were slow to load.

7. What was the shiltron?
A shiltron was a long wooden pole [called a pike] which was tipped with a metal blade.
Shiltrons were used by infantry soldiers en mass to defend themselves from attacks from cavalry.
The weapons were not new in the medieval period but changes were made to how they were used.

8. How was the shiltron used by the Scots?
The Scottish warrior, William Wallace, used shiltrons in a different way to help defeat the English at Stirling Bridge in 1297 as did Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314.
Scottish soldiers clustered into large groups and pointed their shiltrons towards attacking cavalry, so they looked like a huge hedgehog.
The English cavalry could not defeat this impenetrable wall of shiltrons as they advanced towards them.
Although useless in hand to hand combat, shiltrons were significant in explaining the decline of the mounted knight.

9. What was the longbow?
The longbow was first used by the Welsh in around 1200 and used by the English from 1290.
Longbows were two foot long and accurate in a 200 yard distance, although could fire up to 350 radius.
The design remained unchanged in that they were made out of elm or yew wood and took tremendous strength to fire.

10. What was the impact of the longbow on the battlefield?
The longbow gave the English a huge advantage on the battlefield as the longbow had twice the range of a shorter bow, had more power, and a trained longbowman could fire between 10 to 15 arrows a minute.
Large groups of archers were used to fire a rain of arrows on the enemy. This would severely weaken them.
The longbow was decisive in English victories at Falkirk in 1298 and Agincourt in Their use at Falkirk by Edward I was extremely influential in English military tactics for the next 150 years.

11. How were cannons used on the battlefield between 1320 and 1415?
The cannon was a new development in medieval warfare. At first it was used as a siege weapon as it was heavy and slow to carry, slow to construct and had a limited range of around 100 yards with poor accuracy.
Up to 1415, England used cannon but it was never decisive.

12. How did cannons develop into a medieval weapon?
Gunpowder – Gunpowder was not new but a new type of gunpowder which was slower to burn and allowed cannons to become more accurate and reliable.
Metals – developments in metallurgy allowed for cannons and cannonballs to be made out of metal rather than stone and wood.
Improvements in design – longer cannon barrels allowed for greater accuracy, range and power.
Trunnions invented – trunnions were rods which could adjust the range of the barrel making cannons more accurate.
Specialist cannons – cannons were developed to have specific jobs like howitzers or mortars which were designed to fire missiles high over castle walls.

13. What was the impact of cannons on medieval warfare?
Sieges – Cannon became critical in siege warfare as castle and city walls became extremely vulnerable.
Handguns developed – small cannon or handguns developed. By the end of the medieval period, weapons like the arquebus, became commonplace.
However, cannons and firearms remained ……
Slow
Unreliable
Limited use compared with the longbow

14. Complete the medieval weapons knowledge organiser
Change
Continuity
Impact of science and technology
Impact of the individual
Sword
Longbow
Crossbow
Shiltron
Cannon

15. Follow up questions
What the most important driver of change for medieval weapons – individuals or science and technology? Explain your answer.
Which weapon do you think underwent the most change in medieval warfare?
Which weapon underwent the least change in medieval warfare?

16. Plenary – My Brain Subheading – My Brain
Draw an outline of your brain.
Fill your drawn brain with all the things you have learnt in this lesson. This can be in the form of key words, drawings, bullet points, lists – anything you like so long as it summarises your learning and that others can understand it.