The Longbow

The longbow was an extraordinary weapon. It had a rate of shooting unequalled until the late nineteenth century, and the impact of the arrowstorm could be devastating. At the height of the Hundred Years’ War, the longbow was a key factor in the victories of the outnumbered English at Crecy and Poitiers. 

Mike Loades is a medieval weapons expert with many years’ experience of warbows. In The Longbow he combines a history of combat archery on both land and sea with illustrated technical details, including the arrow-manufacturing process. Using modern ballistic testing and re-examination of the sources, he also reassesses the likely tactical use of the longbow, and what really gave it its fearsome reputation on the medieval battlefield. 

• Written by Mike Loades
• Number 30 in the Weapon series
• Paperback edition
• Published in 2013
• 80 pages
• Dimensions: 18.5cm x 24.5cm