History of a Trebuchet
The trebuchet was a devastating weapon for its time. It could put a hole in a fortress or any strong hold. Some defenders would even surrender when they saw the siege engine being constructed. It has been through almost all of history from as far back as 300 B.C. Although many believe that the trebuchet was invented by the Greeks it was in fact invented by the Chinese to increase their military strength and with strategy. At first it was smaller and much more portable but had less range. It was powered by a team of men pulling on a rope. This was the birth of the trebuchet; it was smaller and weaker but much more mobile. This was its original strength, but as time went on kings and queens wanted weapons that could punch …show more content…
It was a bigger version of the stave sling that used a large counter weight to propel a 900-kilogram projectile up to 300 yards. There were three designs for the trebuchet that we know was finalized. At first there was the traction trebuchet which was operated by a team of men pulling on a rope. Then there was a hybrid trebuchet, which was a mixture of using counterweights and a team of men to pull the ropes. Engineers in the east and Mediterranean invented this design and it was used to great effect. Then the counterweight trebuchet did away with the man power all together and just used a heavy counterweight but this meant that the supporting structure of the trebuchet had to be drastically beefed up to handle the force it had to endure. The idea for the trebuchet is thought to come from the staff sling. The staff sling was made to be used by a single man. The staff sling was a staff with slings attached to the end of it that were meant to act as an extension to the arm length of the thrower therefore giving him the ability to throw the projectile farther. The human pulling on the lower part and pushing on the upper part was the thrower acting as the counterweight …show more content…
Prince Louis utilized it when he employed it at Dover Castle as he attempted to take the English thrown. The first siege of the castle started in July 19, 1216 and ended October 14th and a truce was struck between the castle of Dover and Prince Louis. The second siege was started in May 17, 1217 with prince Louis setting up a trebuchet trying to fire on the walls and gate but this proved ineffective. This was the first use of it in England at the time and many people say in awe the rarity of seeing such a war engine. These weapons were effective during their time, one trebuchet could fire up to 2,000 stone a day and if the army ran out of stones it could fire sharpened wooden poles, darts, fire pots, casts of burning tar, burning sand, dung, dead and often mutilated bodies, disease ridden bodies, and quicklime which was is extremely caustic. These war engines were extremely advanced for their time and the people using them were well trained and they were called gynours. Trebuchet’s were very large and dangerous weapons but this was also their biggest weakness once the trebuchet was constructed it could not be adjusted or moved it was stuck in the
The trebuchet was a devastating weapon for its time. It could put a hole in a fortress or any strong hold. Some defenders would even surrender when they saw the siege engine being constructed. It has been through almost all of history from as far back as 300 B.C. Although many believe that the trebuchet was invented by the Greeks it was in fact invented by the Chinese to increase their military strength and with strategy. At first it was smaller and much more portable but had less range. It was powered by a team of men pulling on a rope. This was the birth of the trebuchet; it was smaller and weaker but much more mobile. This was its original strength, but as time went on kings and queens wanted weapons that could punch …show more content…
It was a bigger version of the stave sling that used a large counter weight to propel a 900-kilogram projectile up to 300 yards. There were three designs for the trebuchet that we know was finalized. At first there was the traction trebuchet which was operated by a team of men pulling on a rope. Then there was a hybrid trebuchet, which was a mixture of using counterweights and a team of men to pull the ropes. Engineers in the east and Mediterranean invented this design and it was used to great effect. Then the counterweight trebuchet did away with the man power all together and just used a heavy counterweight but this meant that the supporting structure of the trebuchet had to be drastically beefed up to handle the force it had to endure. The idea for the trebuchet is thought to come from the staff sling. The staff sling was made to be used by a single man. The staff sling was a staff with slings attached to the end of it that were meant to act as an extension to the arm length of the thrower therefore giving him the ability to throw the projectile farther. The human pulling on the lower part and pushing on the upper part was the thrower acting as the counterweight …show more content…
Prince Louis utilized it when he employed it at Dover Castle as he attempted to take the English thrown. The first siege of the castle started in July 19, 1216 and ended October 14th and a truce was struck between the castle of Dover and Prince Louis. The second siege was started in May 17, 1217 with prince Louis setting up a trebuchet trying to fire on the walls and gate but this proved ineffective. This was the first use of it in England at the time and many people say in awe the rarity of seeing such a war engine. These weapons were effective during their time, one trebuchet could fire up to 2,000 stone a day and if the army ran out of stones it could fire sharpened wooden poles, darts, fire pots, casts of burning tar, burning sand, dung, dead and often mutilated bodies, disease ridden bodies, and quicklime which was is extremely caustic. These war engines were extremely advanced for their time and the people using them were well trained and they were called gynours. Trebuchet’s were very large and dangerous weapons but this was also their biggest weakness once the trebuchet was constructed it could not be adjusted or moved it was stuck in the