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WABUKAN Arsenal · Bows and projectiles · Europe

English longbow

A powerful medieval self bow about 1.8 m long, usually of yew, that decided English battles of the Hundred Years’ War such as Crécy and Agincourt.

English longbow
English longbow WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

longbow; war bow; warbow

Origin and history

It is debated whether the longbow came from England or from the Welsh bow, but by the 14th century both English and Welsh used it for war and hunting. It was decisive at Sluys (1340), Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415), but less so at Verneuil (1424) and Patay (1429), where archers were charged before they could set up their defences. Because years of practice were needed, English kings encouraged or required archery practice, as in Edward III’s declaration of 1363.

Martial arts that use it

Seen in traditional practice, historical reenactment and demonstrations; no art page on WABUKAN yet.

Construction

A single stave, preferably of yew (ash, elm and other hardwoods were also used), with the sapwood on the back and the heartwood on the belly. In 1388 Gaston III, Count of Foix, wrote that it should be "of yew or boxwood, seventy inches" between the string nocks. The bows from the Mary Rose measure 1.87–2.11 m, averaging 1.98 m, with estimated draw weights of about 100–185 lbf.

Basic techniques

Training

Ranged weapons are trained on a range with a safe backstop: stance, grip, release and breathing are repeated until the movement is identical every time. Distance increases only after the form is stable.

Safety

Only shoot or throw on a supervised range with a safe backstop, never towards anything you would not want to hit, and never retrieve while others are shooting or throwing.

Legality (general information)

Bows, throwing blades and similar weapons are often legal to own but may only be used on approved ranges or under club rules; some throwing weapons (such as shuriken or throwing stars) are banned outright in several countries. This is general information, not legal advice: check local law and your federation’s rules.

Did you know?

No English longbow survives from its heyday (c. 1250–1450): worn-out bows were thrown away. Almost everything we know comes from the Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s warship that sank at Portsmouth in 1545 with about 137 bows and more than 3,500 arrows on board.

More weapons

Sling Boomerang Yumi Gakgung Shuriken Chakram

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — English longbow
  2. Wikipedia — Mary Rose