One of the most devastating weapons of the Middle Ages, the crossbow fired a 12-inch bolt capable of piercing all but the strongest armor. This fascinating illustrated study traces its use in both medieval and modern times as a military and sporting weapon. It also covers related weapons, including balistas, catapults, and the Turkish bow. Over 240 illustrations.

"PART I THE HISTORY OF THE CROSSBOW, WITH NOTES COMPARATIVE ON THE LONGBOW SHORTBOW AND HANDGUN"I. THE MILITARY CROSSBOWII. THE SPORTING CROSSBOWIII. THE GENERAL DIMENSIONS OF CROSSBOWSIV. THE BOLTS USED WITH CROSSBOWSV. THE RANGE OF THE MEDIÆVAL CROSSBOW AND HOW IT COMPARED IN THIS RESPECT WITH THE LONGBOWVI. THE SHORTBOW AND LONGBOW IN RELATION TO THE CROSSBOWVII. THE HANDGUN IN RELATION TO THE CROSSOBOWVIII. SUMMARY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEDIÆVAL HANDGUNIX. A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF THE CROSSBOWPART II THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CROSSBOWS: MEDIÆVALX. "THE PRIMITIVE CROSSBOW, WITH A BOW OF SOLID WOOD WHICH WAS BENT BY MANUAL POWER ONLY"XI. "THE THIRTEENTH AND FOURTEENTH CENTURY CROSSBOW, WITH A COMPOSITE BOW (OF YEW, HORN AND TENDON) WHICH WAS BENT BY HAND, OR BY A THONG AND PULLEY, OR BY A METAL CLAW ATTACHED TO THE CROSSBOWMAN'S BELT"XII. HOW THE BOW OF THE PRIMITIVE CROSSBOW WAS ATTACHED TO THE STOCK BY A BRIDLE OF CORD OR SINEWXIII. HOW THE CROSSBOWMAN PLACED THE BOLT OF HIS CROSSBOW ON THE STOCK OF HIS WEAPON SO AS TO GIVE THE BOLT A FREE LOOSE AND CORRECT FLIGHTXIV. THE VARIOUS CONTRIVANCES EMPLOYED IN THE THIRTEENTH AND FOURTEENTH CENTURIES FOR BENDING THE BOWS OF CROSSBOWS WHICH WERE TOO STRONG TO BE BENT BY MANUAL POWER ONLY-THE CORD AND PULLEYXV. THE VARIOUS CONTRIVANCES EMPLOYED FOR BENDING THE BOWS OF CROSSBOWS (continued)-THE CLAW AND BELTXVI. THE VARIOUS CONTRIVANCES EMPLOYED FOR BENDING THE BOWS OF CROSSBOWS (continued)-THE SCREW AND HANDLEXVII. THE VARIOUS CONTRIVANCES EMPLOYED FOR BENDING THE BOWS OF CROSSBOWS (continued)-THE GOAT'S-FOOT LEVERXVIII. "THE FIFTEENTH-CENTURY MILITARY AND SPORTING CROSSBOW, WITH A THICK STEEL BOW WHICH WAS BENT BY A WINDLASS AND ROPES AND DISCHARGED A BOLT"XIX. "THE CONSTRUCTION OF A POWERFUL CROSS BOW, SUCH AS WAS USED IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY FOR KILLING DEER WITH A HEAVY NON-POISONOUS BOLT-THE STOCK"XX. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE REVOLVING NUT AND ITS SOCKETXXI. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE TRIGGER AND LOCKXXII. "THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE STEEL BOW, THE BOW-IRONS AND THE STIRRUP"XXIII. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-HOW TO FIX THE BOW TO THE STOCKXXIV. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE GROOVE FOR THE BOLTXXV. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORSSBOW (continued)-THE BOW-STRINGXXVI. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-HOW TO FIT THE BOW-STRING TO THE BOWXXVII. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE WINDLASSXXVIII. "THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSBOW (continued)-THE BOLT OR QUARREL, AND HOW IT WAS ARRANGED ON THE STOCK OF THE CROSSBOW"XXIX. THE SLURBOWXXX. "THE SIXTEENTH-CENTURY SPORTING CROSSBOW, WITH A THICK STEEL BOW WHICH WAS BENT BY A CRANEQUIN"XXXI. "THE CRANEQUIN, AND HOW IT WAS APPLIED TO BEND THE STEEL BOW OF A CROSSBOW"XXXII. "THE SIXTEENTH AND EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY SPANISH SPORTING CROSSBOW, WITH A STEEL BOW OF MODERATE STRENGTH WHICH WAS BENT BY A CRANEQUIN"XXXIII. "THE SIXTEENTH-CENTURY STONEBOW, WITH A LIGHT STEEL BOW WHICH WAS BENT BY MANUAL POWER ONLY"XXXIV. "THE SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY STONEBOW, WITH A THICKER STEEL BOW WHICH WAS BENT BY A LEVER FIXED IN ITS STOCK"XXXV. "THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SPORTING AND TARGET CROSSBOW, WITH A LIGHT STEEL BOW WHICH WAS BENT BY A WOODEN LEVER"XXXVI. THE SIXTEENTH-CENTURY IMPROVED LOCKS WHICH WERE FITTED TO SPORTING AND TARGET CROSSBOWS THAT DISCHARGED BOLTSPART III THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CROSSBOWS-(continued) : MODERNXXXVII. THE BULLET-SHOOTING CROSSBOW-ENGLISHXXXVIII. THE BULLET-SHOOTING CROSSBOW-ENGLISH (continued)-THE BASTARD-STRINGXXXIX. THE BULLET-SHOOTING CROSSBOW-ENGLISH (continued)-HOW TO MAKE AND FIT THE BOW-STRINGXL. THE BULLET-SHOOTING CROSSBOW-ENGLISH (continued)-THE LOCK AND THE SIGHTSXLI. THE LARGE BOLT-SHOOTING CONTINENTAL TARGET CROSSBOWXLII. THE SMALL BOLT-SHOOTING TARGET CROSSBOW AS NOW USED IN BELGIUMXLIII. BELGIAN TARGET CROSSBOW (continued)-THE LOCKXLIV. BELGIAN TARGET CROSSBOW (continued)-THE SIGHTSXLV. BELGIAN TARGET CROSSBOW (continued)-THE LEVER AND HOW TO USE IT TO BEND THE BOWXLVI. THE BULLET-SHOOTING TARGET CROSSBOW WITH A BARREL-AS NOW USED IN BELGIUMXLVII. "THE POPINJAY, WITH NOTES ON THE ANCIENT COMPANIES OF CONTINENTAL CROSSBOWMEN"XLVIII. THE CROSSBOWMEN OF DRESDEN-PRIVILEGIRTE BOGENSCHUTZEN-GESELLSCHAFTXLIX. THE CHINESE REPEATING CROSSBOWL. ARROW-THROWINGPART IV A TREATISE ON THE SIEGE ENGINES USED IN ANCIENT AND MEDIÆVAL TIMES FOR DISCHARGING GREAT STONES AND ARROWSLI. INTRODUCTORY NOTES ON THE SIEGE ENGINES USED IN ANCIENT AND MEDIÆVAL TIMES FOR DISCHARGING GREAT STONES AND ARROWSLII. THE ANTIQUITY OF BALISTAS AND CATAPULTSLIII. THE EFFECTS OF ANCIENT SIEGE ENGINES IN WARFARELIV. THE DISTANCES TO WHICH ANCIENT SIEGE ENGINES CAST THEIR PROJECTILESLV. "THE CATAPULT, ITS CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT"LVI. "THE CATAPULT, ITS CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (concluded)"LVII. "THE BALISTA, ITS CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT"LVIII. THE TREBUCHETLIX. THE SPRING ENGINEINDEXAPPENDIX (separately-paginated)