crossbow of one foot, two foot and 'a tour'

[fernando]

Originally Posted by randallstorey

... I wondered though how prevalent this naming system was throughout Europe and during the twelfth century? ...

Assuming i have no documentation on this subject, what i posted came from browsing the Net as, being interesting material, i feel enticed to also learn out of such research.
I have found so far that this terminology also existed in France. You can draw from the inventory of a French castle, in a letter addressed to the King, dated December 1213, the mentioning of two foot crossbows (arbalete a deux poids) and also arbalists (arbalete a tour)

http://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Invent...y_de_Dampierre

Also if you can deal with the french language, you can read the following perspective of a member posting in a French archery forum, in that he assumes that the two foot crossbow is a device from the 10th 11th century.

je peux me tromper mais ,d'après moi l'arbalète à deux pieds est une des premières arbalètes 10 ième 11ième siècle.l'armenent se fait dos d'arc au sol les 2 pieds le long de l'arbrier et on tire à la main sur la corde

[wardlaw]

Apologies for highjacking the thread but, if this is the Randall Storey I met way back at the Arms, Armies and Fortifications Conference at Oxford many, many years ago, do drop me a line.

Rob Jones

[randallstorey]

haha the one and same, though it was only 15 years ago, dont make me feel older than i already do!

I dont yet have pm permission here but my email is randallstorey@hotmail.co.uk.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by randallstorey

... I dont yet have pm permission here ...

Are you sure, Randall ? Check again

[fernando]

How is your italian, Randall ... rusty ?
Definitely the terms 'one foot' and 'too foot' were part of current crossbow terminology in Europe.
Hee is a link mentioning that these terms were used in medieval Italy. Scroll dow to the martinetto (jack) section:

http://www.arcoebalestra.it/index.php?sub=balestra

You will read:

Il termine medioevale di balestre a "un piede" o a "due piedi" indica modelli diversificati dal modo di caricamento.

meaning (+ or -):

The medieval crossbow terms "one foot" or to "two feet" indicate the way of loading (arming) the diverse models.

[randallstorey]

Excellent, thnx for upgrading my account fernando.

Since i work primarily in latin i can usually muddle through most romance languages. Its good to see the same naming convention for these crossbows and from such an early date. If only the terms for larger engines were that standard!

If I do find a full treatment of this issue i'll post info here.

[Glaive203]

The first link describing the difference between a one foot and two foot crossbow is partially false. There was never a time one when one placed one foot on the lath and then spanned the arbalest. Laths and bows both have to be carefully tillered so that both limbs pull the same or they're inaccurate. stepping on just one limb or even in the center would tend to throw them out of tiller.

The difference between the two types is that the lighter "two foot crossbows" (AKA arbaltetes a deux pieds) was spanned with both feet stepping on the lath and ones hands spanning the arbalest, while the one foot arbalest (AKA arbalest a ettrif) had a stirrup that one placed a foot in and the crossbowman spanned it with a girdle worn around his waist with a claw suspended from it that was hooked on the string and he spanned it by handing the butt of the tiller and standing up.

The arbalest a tour was also not the springald. There's a difference between the way a modern crossbow and a medieval or ancient European were held. The traditional "crossbow" was held more like a bow, that is with the lath almost vertical rather than the later horizontal method. When was shooting from inside a tower or from and arrow loop in a merlon it was highly desirable for the lath to be as absolutely vertical as possible to so a top-tiller was added to keep the quarrels from falling off the tiller, this allowed the crossbowman a greater up and down positioning of the lath while shooting and also allowed him to not to expose any of his body to an extremely lucky shot through the arrow slit he was shooting from. Likewise the horizontal slits one sees in some arrow loops were not for "crossbows", but were actually slights for either a bowman or arbalester to use to better see.

Some useful illustrations http://picasaweb.google.com/11612624...66701183790530

http://picasaweb.google.com/11612624...66702517977874

http://picasaweb.google.com/11612624...69578950262338