Does the trebuchet was a dominant siege weapon in Europe from 850AD to 1350AD ?”
A trebuchet or trebucket is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages either to smash masonry walls or to throw projectiles over them. It is sometimes called a “counterweight trebuchet” or “counterpoise trebuchet” in order to distinguish it from an earlier weapon that has come to be called the “traction trebuchet”, the original version with pulling men instead of a counterweight. The counterweight trebuchet appeared in both Christian and Muslim lands around the Mediterranean in the twelfth century. It could fling up to three-hundred and fifty pound (140 kg) projectiles at high speeds into enemy fortifications. On occasion, disease-infected corpses were flung into cities in an attempt to infect or terrorize the people under siege—a medieval variant of biological warfare. Traction trebuchets appeared in China in about the 4th century BC and in Europe in the 6th century AD, and did not become obsolete until the 16th century, well after the introduction of gunpowder. Trebuchets w
The trebuchet was the dominant siege weapon in Europe from 850AD to 1350AD, lasting 100 years after the introduction of gunpowder. In England it was called an Ingenium, and the technicians which worked on the weapon were Engineers. Larger versions were able to throw large stones, cows or even shunned negotiators. Rotting flesh was also popular.
The trebuchet was the dominant siege weapon in Europe from 850AD to 1350AD, lasting 100 years after the introduction of gunpowder. In England it was called an Ingenium, and the technicians which worked on the weapon were Ingeniators (Engineers). Larger versions were able to throw large stones, cows or even shunned negotiators. Rotting flesh was also popular. The trebuchet operates by harnessing the potential energy of a suspended weight, and demonstrates many physical pricipals. There are multiple variables in the design which can be adjusted to optimize range and throw-weight. This model has achieved a range of 120 feet with a 7 lb. rock, so far.
