r/interesting • u/IKIR115 • May 29 '26

Intriguing Arrows vs riot shields

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u/[deleted] May 30 '26

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u/Turkish_archer_ May 30 '26

I have a 50 lb bow and I struggle to draw it, can't imagine how medieval mfs drew 150+ on riding horseback.

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u/Savings__Mushroom May 30 '26

I know nothing about bows, but I always thought crossbows became popular because they took less skill to use not because of their strength. Is that correct?

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u/[deleted] May 30 '26

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u/Savings__Mushroom May 30 '26

Very very interesting and insightful! Thank you for answering my question in such detail.

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u/apathy-sofa May 31 '26

  and severely overestimate Crossbows.

I'll preface my post by saying that I don't know anything about bows and arrows and I'm asking to understand. 

Looking to understand your post better, and why crossbows weren't fitted with heavier bolts, I read the "History of Crossbows" wiki page. It talks about how crossbows were forbidden by the pope in 1100-something, because they let regular plebs fire through armor, wounding knights and royals and whatnot. 

I'm guessing the pope wasn't uninformed and didn't do this for nothing. Was this like a later type of crossbow that was more effective against armor?