The Art of War in the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, archery in warfare was not as prevalent and dominant in Western Europe as popular myth would suggest. Archers were the lowest-paid soldiers in any army and were mostly conscripted from the peasant population because of the cheap nature of bows and arrows (as compared to firearms, armor and swords). Professional archers required years of training. Some would apprentice with master archers for most of their lives before becoming masters. These experts were rare. While many English nobles believed the bow and arrow to be a lower class weapon of ineffectiveness, other medieval armies used archery with great success.  The Vikings and the Muslims used archery all over the Western European coast in the ninth and tenth centuries during numerous raids. Possibly learning from these tactics, the English learned how to use archery on a large scale as a method of warfare by the Hundred Years’ War. With this new tactic, the English longbow became popular, and expert archers were increasingly sought by kings who would recruit thousands each year. According to English lore, Robin Hood was one of these archers at one time. Today, the master archers of the medieval armies are celebrated, but fans should not forget the thousands of early archers who risked their lives to represent the bow.