Medieval Bows of continental Western Europe

[ddrake]

Hi all!
There are several sources and treaties about the English longbow. What am looking for though are information about the bows on the continent.
My main interest is focused on Northern Italy but of course the whole area (France, Germany, Switzerland, Dalmatian coast) is relevant.
I'm mainly focusing on self bows, not composites (present in southern Italy too, due to byzantine / arabic influence).
For the period i would say anything in the XI-XVI centuries (Toxophilus was printed in 1545, so including this century too seems fine).
For now I've found this short treaty, printed in France aound 1515.
https://www.archerylibrary.com/books/gallice/docs/preface.html (English translation)

Artworks are an important source too of course. Please add the who / when / where too though (if known) and what we can we get from them in your opinion.

Oh, if you do make medieval bows and care to share pics / stories please do.

Thank you.

 

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

Continental medieval self bows were often just simple peasant-made wood bows and you barely ever see them referred to in primary sources (writers differentiate knights, infantry, men at arms, mercenaries and occasionally specialised troops like longbowmen or crossbowmen, but not much else).

The bow was primarily a peasant weapon in most of Europe so it's not often highlighted in written or illustrated sources, and archaeology is never kind to wood so there are no examples. During the crusades (which is a nice, well-documented slice of high medieval warfare, and what I'm most familiar with), I can't think of a single example where these peasant archers are mentioned, and during skirmishes with the Ayyubids (Saladin's boys) it's implied that the crusaders either used crossbows or javelins, or nothing.

 

[Mamlaz]

During the crusades (which is a nice, well-documented slice of high medieval warfare, and what I'm most familiar with), I can't think of a single example where these peasant archers are mentioned

"The king, accompanied by his bowmen, was first to land, the rest followed, and as soon as they reached the shore one and all flung themselves upon the Emperor and his Griffons. The arrows fell like rain upon the grass. After a prolonged conflict the Emperor, having lost a multitude of his men, fled, and his entire host with him. The king of England, exulting in his great victory, pursued, and made a very great slaughter of all who resisted, and, had not night fallen soon, he would have taken the Emperor himself that day, either alive or dead." - Benedict of Peterborough







On the OP;

Depends on what you mean by continental, because everyone east of Germany mainly used composite bows.
Edit; re-read the title, did not see "Western", my bad.


Also, your comment on south Italy using composites is also in lack, the entire Italy used composite bows, even the Swiss depictions of their archers depict recurves that are obviously not selfbows.

Nearly all high+late medieval bow depictions in Italy, regardless of location, depicts recurve bows, most interpreted as composite bows.


In terms of France, Benelux and Germany, they also used composite bows, but they focused on putting those composited on crossbow prods instead of making bows, as did the Italians on their crossbows;

"It should be remembered that the bows of the Genoese crossbowmen at Crecy were doubtless composite ones, made of wood, horn, sinew and glue, bow of steel being of latter introduction." - Payne-Gallwey

Composite crossbows even made it to England, 1344 and 1366 Dover armory inventories show a streak of 34 composite crossbows with two-foot stirrups and 9 composite bows with one-foot stirrup, and 3 large windlass crossbows.