History of the Middle Ages Weapons

Another time we did a review of the first weapons with which our ancestors were worth. Beyond developments as ornaments, shapes and colors, we could say that the most important trait  history of human arms  , is the use that is given. Indeed, the weapons first served as an instrument of self-defense and hunting, which leads to the power of the first groups of men and women who populated the Earth.
But over time, as we could go see, the idea of ​​the gun became an object causing injury, pain and death to other peers, and not defensive or survival reasons, but rather for a group preponderates over another. Thus came into existence in antiquity, great empires that sought to prevail upon each other.

The transfer of the Ancient Age to the Middle Ages

1. Europe and the Barbarians

The conventional historiography explains that the transfer of the Ancient Age to the Middle Ages occurs due to a crucial element: the fall of the Western Roman Empire and therefore of classical Rome. However beyond this traditional, has no consistency.

Actually there are deeper facts and hauling processes, some that last decades, some centuries. One is the establishment of feudalism as an economic system in much of Europe and various parts of the world, that were already brewing before they are deposed Romulus Augustus. Moreover Christianity was already fully seated in Western Europe and Byzantium represent for almost a thousand years shield against the eastern forces that try to enter the Old Continent, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.

As we remember the fall of Rome is due to thrust several villages known as barbarians held for centuries. The introduction of these new companies known as Vandals, Franks, Goths, Visigoths, and others, brought with it new customs and languages. In summary were new groups, some more important than others, which reached Europe cultural traits. Obviously, the production of weapons, was an important aspect. There was also then many barbarian groups not eventually settle in the Old Continent, but it is indelible imprint. Such is the case of the Huns, those fearless warriors who came from the Far East led by Attila and more than once threatened the prestige of Rome. Here comes to carving an important aspect of the barbarians: the use of the horse. As we know, this is nothing new, however, the use of horses in the battlefield was something almost essential for any foreign people who broke into the borders of the decadent Roman Empire. It is logical considering traveling huge distances and not settled until after several decades of travel. It is also true that there was a horse for each person, yet his spirit to move from one place to another made of this animal friendly, the best weapon to the barbarians. In the case of Attila and his Huns, the use of horses was masterful and no exception. All were riding in them, and would be something imitated almost a millennium later by Ghenkis Khan and the Mongols.

Indeed, the potential Hun warrior people stood in their tactics and strategy for the war. They were no longer static or passionate infantry as the Greeks or Romans. The Huns, like many barbarians but always more than any other, were dynamic. They made a war of movement, which eventually go crazy legions and even other barbarous nations.The Huns favorite weapon was the bow, and added the horse had to practically invincible horsemen, because they appeared and disappeared somewhere. They came suddenly into towns and camps, and completely razed. Were something like pirates of the earth, so they were looters and devastating. Not surprisingly Attila was remembered for one simple phrase: through which I pass, no grass grows. An alliance of Romans and barbarians other groups managed to defeat the Huns at the Battle of Chalons and stop them in their impending advance on Rome in 451 BC Not long after, Attila died.

Now leave aside the Huns, to discuss other barbarians who settled in Europe. First of all you must understand how difficult it can be to identify weapons of every people. Many times there are no big differences, or at least really important. But one thing is clear both weapons and barbarous war tactics were higher than those of the legions. As the barbarians liked to ride horses usually wore swords longer than the traditional Roman. Bow Riders were equally fatal mixture. Nevertheless, the infantry should not be underestimated, for he had many more long swords and axes light that could launch and cause immediate death, as well as spikes and many other objects that imagination human can create. His armor was not as ostentatious as the Roman, and the only essential was a good helmet and that was enough. Over time, it is true, adapt European customs inherited from Latin, but were not they who brought the groundwork for future medieval armor.

Eventually the barbarian kingdoms were established in different parts of Western Europe and settled on land they considered theirs. That was the seed for the growth of feudalism, characteristic of the Middle Ages, and had begun to take shape even before the fall of Rome. Now, what happened to Byzantium Well, as we have already explained, the eastern part of the empire had survived, and he did for almost a millennium. There Byzantine weapons were more based on strategy. Above all, they imitated the use of cavalry which had been a weak point in traditional Roman armies. Byzantine horsemen received the general name of cataphracts composed of the best in Greece.

Although hard to believe, this heavy cavalry, armor everywhere, and trained to support a larger underweight horses, would save Constantinople on many occasions. In later times the Byzantines invented some kind of incandescent matter who saved the Arabs. He is usually known as Greek fire and is estimated to have been invented by an alchemist who was in the city. Moreover, the Byzantines would be great inventors and various siege engines, like the first rustic catapults. In addition we also have the rams, somewhat more sophisticated than those seen during the Roman Era classic. Many of these techniques were taken through his contacts with other peoples and nations of the East. On the other hand its fortifications were more guarded by an obvious need, like its massive walls, as was often besieged Constantinople. This may also inspired the creation of future castles.

2. Eastern Peoples

The Muslims were one of the most developed peoples of all the appearance of having imported from the Far East several methods that eventually helped to create many new weapons, whether Arabs or Turks. One was gunpowder. However, before the advent of firearms, Arab Muslims also used the horse or camel as indispensable weapons to cross deserts. His sword was usually curved, shaped like a half moon, and in the West was known simply as Saracen sword.

Usually the shield was not important or extravagant as in Western armies, and were also great archers-riders, inheriting the tradition of the Parthians and Persians. Your communication with the East, besides bringing many western cultural aspects, also bring many weapons, including siege, as trebuchets, which served later to design and launch catapults medieval stones.

The major contribution of this nation to the world of war and weapons, would be around 1000 AD, when after experiencing in creating fireworks, developed the first firearms, as we said. Two centuries later, they were even using the first hand grenades. Although it sounds incredible, the news of this invention reached Europe by Muslims, and there was much more widespread than in the same Oriental peoples, because the mentality of the man of the Old Continent, beyond being a warrior, was already that of a growing imperialist capitalism. Therefore the sale of arms was made, and since then, a nonprofit for which to develop it, with so many kings and lords everywhere, competing with each other business. This marked a milestone in history, as it allowed competitiveness that eventually made evolve faster the quality and effectiveness of a firearm in Europe, before the rest of the world. In the long run this would generate in the kingdoms and nations of the Old Continent creating an imperialist mentality with which they imposed their dominion over the world. Often this was understood as an act of racial superiority over the rest of the world, but we realize that everything obeys a different economic system. Moreover, Indians, Koreans, Japanese and Southeast Asian peoples, did not vary much in their methods of warfare. Usually used swords, extravagant armor, chariots, horses and siege weapons. There the development of weapons, both in design, shape or quality, made use of own ingenuity of each nation, and also borrowed some ideas from their Chinese neighbors.