Re: [FT] (LONG) The Balance of Power -- Fighters and a Defense

Shawn wrote:
>Way back in history...there was a terrible weapon
>called the crossbow.  This one weapon changed the face
>of warfare.  Suddenly, a relatively untrained footman
>could take down the best Knight!!!!  Did everyone just
>start complaining and stomp thier feet and threaten to
>'tell Mommy'?

Well actually they did. In fact these weapons were declared unholy
weapons 
and tools of the devil by the church, it's important to remember that as

well as being well armed murderous thugs, the knightly class also
provided 
the government, justice system for medieval society. So the death of a 
knight on the battlefield had consequences far beyond the death of a 
combatant. Medieval warfare had developed in such a way that the risk of

death to the knightly class was low, campaigns involved moving through
your 
enemies' lands, depriving them of supplies (burning and pillaging),
battles 
though not uncommon were undesirable because risk they involved. So the 
appearance of a weapon like the crossbow which could be produced in
numbers 
and used effectively en mass with very little training, stripped away
the 
advantages of the knightly classes, they of course viewed this as a 
unwelcome development and protested loudly. But of course the genie was
out 
of the bottle.

Derek

hmmmmm....... The crossbow. Tool for social and political change :)

Derek Fulton
12 Balaka st.
Rosny, Hobart.
Tasmania,  7018.
Australia

Phone; (03) 62459123
Email; derekfulton@bigpond.com