arbalest
{{Short description|Form of medieval crossbow}}
{{Redirect|Arbalist|a crossbowman|Arbalist (crossbowman)}}
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File:Arbalest (PSF).png cocking an arbalest using a cranequin]]
The arbalest (also arblast), a variation of the crossbow, came into use in Europe around the 12th century.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=33HOEAAAQBAJ&dq=prod+arbalest&pg=PT315 | title=Tools of War: History of Weapons in Ancient Times | isbn=978-93-86834-12-6 | last1=Ramsey | first1=Syed | date=September 2016 | publisher=Vij Books India Pvt }}
The arbalest was a large weapon with a steel prod, or bow assembly. Since the arbalest was much larger than earlier crossbows, and because of the greater tensile strength of steel, it had a greater force. The greater draw weight was offset by a shorter draw length, which limited the total potential energy that could be transferred into the crossbow bolt. A skilled arbalestier (arbalester) could loose two bolts per minute.{{Cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMoL_SBD6gw|title = Heavy Medieval 1250lbs Windlass Crossbow - TESTED in Slo-Mo|website = YouTube}}
Nomenclature
The term "arbalest" is sometimes used interchangeably with "crossbow". Arbalest is a Medieval French word originating from the Roman name {{lang|la|arcuballista}} (from {{lang|la|arcus}} 'bow' + {{lang|la|ballista}} 'missile-throwing engine'),{{OED|arbalest}} (arbalist, arblast) which was then used for crossbows, although originally used for types of artillery.
Modern French uses the word {{lang|fr|arbalète}}, which is linguistically one step further from the stem, due to the disappearance of the s phoneme in the last syllable. This form of the word applies to both crossbows and arbalests (the latter may be referred to as a heavy crossbow, but an actual heavy crossbow may not be the same as an arbalest).
References
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Bibliography
- {{cite book | last = Tanner | first = Norman P. | year = 1990 | title = Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils | volume = 1 | quote = Nicaea 1 to Lateran V | location = London / Washington, D.C. | publisher = Sheed & Ward. Georgetown University Press | isbn =0-87840-490-2}}.
- {{cite book | last = Bellamy | first = Alex J. | year = 2006 | title = Just Wars: From Cicero to Iraq | work = Polity | page = 32 | publisher = Wiley | isbn =0-7456-3282-3}}
{{Archery|state=collapsed}}
{{Ancient mechanical artillery and hand-held missile weapons|state=collapsed}}
{{Medieval mechanical artillery and hand-held missile weapons|state=collapsed}}
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