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What effect did the longbow have on French troops?
At the land Battle of Poitiers in 1356, the long bow was responsible for the deaths of 2,000 French mounted knights – the elite of the French army. In 1346 at the Battle of Crecy, English archers devastated the French who lost 11 princes, 1,200 knights and 30,000 common soldiers. The English lost just 100 men.
How did the longbow contribute to the early success of the English during the war?
The longbow was vital in the victory of the English over the French in the Hundred Years’ War. The ability of the archers to shoot more arrows per minute than crossbowmen and the long range of the weapon gave the outnumbered English an advantage in the Battles of Crecy and Agincourt.
What made the longbow so effective in Battle?
Longbows were serious weapons, and their power was immense. Arrows could penetrate chain mail with relative ease, and frequently did, making plate armour more and more necessary. While medieval crossbows were also very powerful range weapons, longbows were cheaper, easier to make, and faster to shoot.
Did the French use the longbow?
The French did start to train some infantry in the use of the longbow in the late 1300s but the king was most concerned about peasants having such powerful weapons and the idea was dropped. The training adopted by the English was rigorous. However, the longbow still had its supporters.
How powerful is a longbow?
The best longbows were made of yew, might have required a force of as much as 150 to 180 pounds (70 to 80 kg) to draw, and shot arrows a cloth yard (about 37 inches, or 94 cm) long, with an effective range of some 450 to 1,000 feet (140 to 300 metres) depending on the weight of the arrow.
Was the long bow effective?
The longbow was extremely effective, because each archer could fire 20 arrows in a minute, at an enemy out of range to other weapons in response, apart from the crossbow, which took up to 30 seconds to load. An arrow shower was extremely demoralising as well as dealing death to soldiers and horses.
Are longbows more accurate than Recurves?
Recurve bows (when shot with proper form) tend to be more accurate overall than longbows. While longbows can range from alright to good when it comes to accuracy, modern recurve bows are engineered for accuracy. It’s for that exact reason that recurve bows are the only types of bows shot in Olympic target archery.
How well trained were the French cavalry at Waterloo?
For their part, the French cavalry were well trained and equipped as well, but probably less well mounted than the British. At Waterloo, the commander of French forces on the ground was Marshal Ney. A cavalryman himself, he was happy to personally lead charges himself.
How effective was Wellington’s cavalry at Waterloo?
At Waterloo, Wellington generally held his cavalry back. When they did charge, the result was (as we shall see) impressive, but sometimes doubtfully effective. For their part, the French cavalry were well trained and equipped as well, but probably less well mounted than the British.
What are some interesting facts about the Battle of Waterloo?
Battle of Waterloo 1 Prelude. Strategic situation in Western Europe in 1815: 250,000 Frenchmen faced about 850,000 allied soldiers on four fronts. 2 Armies. 3 Battlefield. 4 Battle. 5 Aftermath. 6 Analysis. 7 Battlefield today. 8 Coin controversy. 9 Discovery at Mont St. 10 See also.
Why did the French not pursue Wellington to Waterloo?
The French pursued Wellington’s retreating army to Waterloo; however, due to bad weather, mud and the head start that Napoleon’s tardy advance had allowed Wellington, apart from a cavalry action at Genappe, there was no substantial engagement. Before leaving Ligny]