23/03/2026
The military crossbow in the 13th century from our member Hotston Balistarius
The 13th century sees the crossbow develope on a tactical, organizational and technical level. In the case of England the first records of high-level domestic crossbow production start in 1204, likely as a result of the loss of Normandy, compromising the strategic trade routes to Italy along which the majority of England’s crossbows had been imported. This incentivized the importing of foreign crossbowmakers or ‘Balistarii’ to make crossbows at royal locations such as the tower of London, allowing for a more reliable source of crossbows for the crown. Along with the first known signs of domestic crossbow production, we also see advances in the technology being used on said crossbows. The first two decades of the 13th century see the introduction of stirrups, belt and hook loading devices and horn composite (as opposed to wood) crossbows into mainstream use.
As well as this there is significant evidence to show the increasing power of military crossbows in use in the 13th century. The antler roll nuts used increase noticeably in size, allowing for larger strings to be held and metal sears are inserted in the bottom of the nut to reduce wear with the metal triggers that also begin use in this period. Archeological finds of surviving laths also show an increase in size and therefore power in the weapons being used. By the end of the 13th century the crossbow has evolved into the recognizable archetype of the medieval crossbow, and has evolved into a decisive battlefield and siege weapon, with dedicated formations of crossbowmen being seen in conflicts throughout Europe, solidifying the crossbowman’s distinctive place on the European battlefield for the next 200 years.
