Longbow
Template:Expand A longbow is a long, hand-drawn ranged weapon which sometimes exceeded 6 feet in length, made famous in medieval England.[1] It is a common misconception that the longbow is a uniquely British weapon, when in reality longbows existed on every continent and arrived relatively late to England.[2] It was the Welsh who actually developed the longbow that the English later adopted. It should be noted, however, that bow quality changed over time, and it was more than just size that made a longbow.
Able to shoot further and with more power than conventional bows, it's affect was notable. In fact, at short range, an arrow from a longbow could penetrate 4 inches of seasoned oak.[3] The longbow proved to be a devastating weapon in the hands of British longbowmen, who demonstrated enormous success against armies with significantly greater numbers of troops. Good examples of this were the Battle of Crecy and the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years War.
