Weapons that Changed Warfare: The Crossbow

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[DADhit]

The bow shoots faster than a crossbow only in the first minutes of combat, but then the archer gets tired and needs rest. After each series of shots, the archer will rest for a couple of minutes. And a crossbowman can shoot for hours without getting tired. As a result, over the course of several hours of combat, the rate of fire of the bow and crossbow is likely to be comparable.

[Historicalweapons]

very good research Simon! if anyone is interested in Chinese Crossbow reproductions i make and shoot them

[themodernarmbruster]

Great video! Thanks for spreading the word about these supremely cool historical objects!

[joshuawayne]

Things crossbows have going for them over firearms; quality arrows will pass right through the same sandbags armies use to stop bullets. Compared to guns, arrows are virtually silent. Bows/crossbows are easy to make and maintain, and ammunition is unlimited, if you're creative/crazy enough. Arrows can be packed with enough boomboom powder to destroy a car...

[gardnep]

In most states in Australia, the crossbow is illegal to own and use. The only exception is competition specifically for the crossbow but the chance of getting a license is probably remote.

[Lrkjdk]

That’s so British. Regulation and more regulation.

[mikedunn]

The modern crossbow is still used by certain special forces, as it is silent and deadly at a distance:
Special forces in both Greece and Turkey also continue to employ the crossbow. Spain's Green Berets still use the crossbow as well. In Asia, some Chinese armed forces use crossbows, including the special force Snow Leopard Commando Unit of the People's Armed Police and the People's Liberation Army.

Crossbow - Wikipedia
Wikipedia

[EAWanderer]

First seen BY ME in
1999 LOTR Fellowship of the Ring then...
2001's Harry Potter, Rubeous Hagrid had 1. 😁
What a colourful history for an instrument of terror! 👍👍

[reggiep]

Joerg Sprave tends to agree with Fact Boi about the deliciousness of crossbows and more importantly... *REPEATER CROSSBOWS!!* Let him show you its features!!

[exMuteKid]

"unregulated crossbow" is the most UK thing i've ever heard no offense. I'm from canada and i'm so glad I can at least enjoy airguns. i've been target shooting since I was 7 years old and it's the only thing which truly relaxes me and makes me happy.

[ignitionfrn]

1:05 - Chapter 1 - Invention
1:55 - Chapter 2 - China
6:05 - Chapter 3 - The ancient greeks & romans
7:40 - Chapter 4 - Medieval use
10:20 - Chapter 5 - Richard the lionheart
11:35 - Chapter 6 - Genoese crossbowmen

[deejayvee]

Can we get a video about the chain mail hotpants at 11:44 ?

[ZemplinTemplar]

I've long suspected the most ancient crossbows are actually the many similar types from various southeast Asian countries. They're very simply design-wise, and were known among natives who never came into contact with any Chinese unfluence. I think it's most likely the crossbow was originally invented and spread in southeast Asia, but the idea did eventually reach China a few millennia BC (ca between 3000 and 2000 BC), and Chinese inventors then tried to improve upon the existing single-shot designs (especially in terms of triggers) and later also invented at least two different repeater designs (as weaker as those were and are, due to obvious performance limitations).

I don't know enough about the trade links between the Mediterranean, south Asia and China in antiquity to say for sure whether the early European crossbow designs by the Greeks and Romans were inspired a bit by Chinese crossbows, or were figured out independently, along the same basic lines. (After all, we do also see simpler crossbows occur in Europe during the Middle Ages, beyond the rolling nut lock and trigger pioneered by the Romans, in a system similar to Chinese triggers of single-shot crossbows). Much of the absolute earliest history of the crossbow, in late prehistory and antiquity, is shrouded in unclear facts, the relatively detailed finds and historical records from China being one of the few exceptions, and even there, we don't know for sure when exactly the crossbow was invented as a concept and whether China borrowed the idea or was the actual originator, rather than just major early innovator).

[michaelhowell]

I live about twenty away from a town called Mountain City, Tennessee. The town has the distinction of two drive-by crossbowings and at least two muzzleloader drive-bys. I don't know of anywhere else that claim that.

[theprancingprussian]

Despite some having monsterous draw weights spring steel back then couldnt get much draw length so even a 1200 lb couldnt get as big of an energy output difference as draw weight difference between it an a 180lb longbow
Lever drawn ones could rival energy of a longbow and had chunkier projectiles so would be a bit better on armor
Composite or wood ones would have a smaller draw weight but come closer to steel bow output due to more draw length and efficiency

[Flatrocker]

First, please cite your source for the Urban II condemnation of crossbows. Can't find a source for it anywhere, though I can find many people parroting, "Pope Urban II banned crossbows in 1096." Second, Pope Innocent II banned traditional archery as well, not just crossbows. "We prohibit under anathema that murderous art of crossbowmen and archers, which is hateful to God, to be employed against Christians and Catholics from now on."

[jennycraigadventures]

How do you talk about this topic without mentioning crossbow prowess of important historical figures Joffrey Baratheon and Chewbacca?

[willfuller]

Have you done anything on the black tom explosion

[sadwingsraging]

Cool story bro.

Time to go play a game of Lawn Darts!

[johnlynch]

10:20 you just gave me an awesome idea {art project} SIMON WHISTLER THE LISTENER, YOU AND YOUR CREW ARE TOPS, AND THE WAY YOU ROLLS THOSE FACTS OFF LIKE SO MUCH ACHIN BACON, THAT IT LULLS MY soul TO THE UPPER POSITIVE PLACE. thank you.
With fleeting regards, WARDALEATH THE BLACKEST.