Military Technology That Changed England: The Longbow

In war, there are a few factors that go into determining the outcome. The strategy, soldiers, and technology a side all plays a role in the outcome. However, having an advantage in technology gives the soldiers an edge in the fight. There is a saying “never bring a knife to a gun fight”, for England having their revolutionary Longbow meant they “brought a gun to a knife fight”, metaphorically of course. This fight I am referring to is the Agincourt Campaign which was in 1415 and was a part of the Hundred Years War.

It is also important to note the type of soldiers used in these conflicts from a cultural perspective. Knights during that time were viewed as men amongst boys. Everything from the armor to the weapons helped establish the superior complex that these soldiers had. These soldiers would be molded into masculine knights at a very young age. By doing this the ideological belief of superiority was also instilled in these soldier from a young age. With a technical teaching and the mental fortitude instilled for years all they would need is their weapons. Some would carry swords and some would be assigned to become archers. The archers largely watched over these knights in battle and acted as backup incase the knights became outnumbered.

The reason the Longbow was so good was because of its design, its counterpart the short bow could handle a smaller amount of weight distribution on the release of the arrow. This means that the arrows of the longbow would have more velocity and force when impacting an enemy. It also meant that the soldiers operating this weapon could be farther away from a battle and could remain safe. The soldier in the longbow group would act as a defensive unit in battle meaning the attacking English was able to send less men into battle while also holding a strategic advantage. The goal of the English forces was to draw the French out into an open battle field. What the French would see is a smaller English force what they would not see is the hundreds of soldiers concealed in a forest or hill side waiting to halt their advances. The English King’s throughout this conflict were able to conduct battles whenever they wanted without stretching their numbers too thin in battles.

English Longbow

Overall, the strategy of war was largely based around the use of the longbow. This may not seem like an innovative success for today’s military technological standards but in the 14^th century it not only shaped the war but also helped England establish their territory. This technology allowed already strong knights of England to possess another advantage on the battle field. It also helped the king and commanders plan battle strategically and were able to utilize less knights because of the long range cover the army possessed. The longbow was no match for the French short bow and the French soldiers paid the price. With the major victory in Agincourt England would go onto win this everlasting conflict.