# Longbow

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Type of ranged weapon that uses arrows

This article is about the weapon. For other uses, see [Longbow (disambiguation)](/source/Longbow_(disambiguation)).

Picture of a longbow made with [wood](/source/Wood), 2013

A **longbow** is a type of tall [bow](/source/Bow_and_arrow) that makes a long [draw](/source/Bow_draw) possible. Longbows for hunting and warfare have been made from many different woods in many cultures; in Europe they date from the [Paleolithic](/source/Paleolithic) era and, since the [Bronze Age](/source/Bronze_Age), were made mainly from [yew](/source/Taxus_baccata), or from [wych elm](/source/Ulmus_glabra) if yew was unavailable. The historical longbow was a [self bow](/source/Self_bow) made of a single piece of wood, but modern longbows may also be made from modern materials or by gluing different timbers together.

## History

Illustration of longbowmen from the 14th century

### Europe

#### Prehistory

A longbow was found in 1991 in the [Ötztal Alps](/source/%C3%96tztal_Alps) with a [natural mummy](/source/Natural_mummy) known as [Ötzi](/source/%C3%96tzi). His bow was made from [yew](/source/Yew) and was 1.82 metres (72 in) long; the body has been dated to around 3300 BC. A slightly shorter bow comes from the Scottish parish of Tweedsmuir in a [peat bog](/source/Peat_bog) known as Rotten Bottom. The bow, made from [yew](/source/Yew), has been given a calibrated radiocarbon date of 4040 BC to 3640 BC.[1] Another bow made from yew, found within some peat in Somerset, England has been dated to 2700–2600 BC. Forty longbows, which date from the 4th century AD, have been discovered in a [peat bog](/source/Peat_bog) at [Nydam](/source/Nydam) in [Denmark](/source/Denmark).[2]

#### Middle Ages

In the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages) the English and Welsh[3] were famous for their [very powerful longbows](/source/English_Longbow), used *en masse* to great effect against the French in the [Hundred Years' War](/source/Hundred_Years'_War), with notable success at the battles of [Crécy](/source/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy) (1346), [Poitiers](/source/Battle_of_Poitiers) (1356), and [Agincourt](/source/Battle_of_Agincourt) (1415).[4] During the reign of [Edward III of England](/source/Edward_III_of_England), laws were passed allowing [fletchers](/source/Fletcher_(occupation)) and [bowyers](/source/Bowyer) to be [impressed](/source/Impressment) into the army and enjoining them to practice archery. The dominance of the longbow on the battlefield continued until the French began to use [cannon](/source/Cannon) to break the formations of English archers at the [Battle of Formigny](/source/Battle_of_Formigny) (1450) and the [Battle of Castillon](/source/Battle_of_Castillon) (1453). Their use continued in the [Wars of the Roses](/source/Wars_of_the_Roses). They survived as a weapon of war in England well beyond the introduction of effective firearms.[5] The [Battle of Flodden](/source/Battle_of_Flodden) (1513) was "a landmark in the history of archery, as the last battle on English soil to be fought with the longbow as the principal weapon..."[6]

#### Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

In 1588, the [militia](/source/Militia_(English)) was called out in anticipation of an invasion by the [Spanish Armada](/source/Spanish_Armada) and it included many archers in its ranks; the [Kent](/source/Kent) militia for instance, had 1,662 archers out of 12,654 men mustered.[7]

The [Battle of Tippermuir](/source/Battle_of_Tippermuir) (1644), in Scotland, may have been the last battle in the [British Isles](/source/British_Isles) to involve the longbow in significant numbers.[8]

#### Early literature

The earliest known book on European longbow archery is the anonymous *L'Art D'Archerie*, produced in France in the late 15th or early 16th century.[9] The first book in English about longbow archery was *[Toxophilus](/source/Toxophilus)* by [Roger Ascham](/source/Roger_Ascham), first published in London in 1545 and dedicated to [King Henry VIII](/source/Henry_VIII_of_England).

### Modern recreational and hunting use

Although [firearms](/source/Firearm) supplanted bows in warfare, wooden or [fibreglass](/source/Fibreglass) [laminated longbows](/source/Laminated_bow) continue to be used by traditional archers and some tribal societies for recreation and hunting. A longbow has practical advantages compared with a modern [recurve](/source/Recurve_bow) or [compound bow](/source/Compound_bow); it is usually lighter, quicker to prepare for shooting, and shoots more quietly. With the longbow it is possible to use [instinctive shooting](/source/Instinctive_shooting_(archery)), a fast shooting method widely used in hunting or in [3D Archery](/source/3D_Archery) competitions. However, other things being equal, the modern bow will shoot a faster arrow more accurately than the longbow.[10][11]

Organisations that run [archery](/source/Archery) competitions have set out formal definitions for various classes of bow; many definitions of the longbow would exclude some medieval examples, materials, and techniques of use.[12][13] Some archery clubs in the United States classify longbows simply as bows with strings that do not come in contact with their limbs. According to the British Longbow Society, the [English longbow](/source/English_longbow) is made so that its thickness is at least 5⁄8 (62.5%) of its width, as in [Victorian](/source/Victorian_era) longbows, and is widest at the grip.[14] A similar, more inclusive, definition was created by the International Longbow Archers Association (ILAA) which defined the bow as fitting within a rectangular template of the proportions 1:0.625.[15]

## Design and construction

Top: Lemonwood, purpleheart and hickory [laminated bow](/source/Laminated_bow).
Bottom: Yew selfbow.

Because the longbow can be made from a single piece of wood, it can be crafted relatively easily and quickly. Amateur [bowyers](/source/Bowyer) today can make a longbow in about ten to twenty hours.[16]

One of the simpler longbow designs is known as the [self bow](/source/Self_bow), by definition made from a single piece of wood. Traditional English longbows are self bows made from [yew](/source/Taxus_baccata) wood. The bowstave is cut from the radius of the tree so that sapwood (on the outside of the tree) becomes the back and forms about one third of the total thickness; the remaining two-thirds or so is heartwood (50/50 is about the maximum sapwood/heartwood ratio generally used). Yew sapwood is good only in [tension](/source/Tension_(physics)), while the heartwood is good in [compression](/source/Compression_(physical)). However, compromises must be made when making a yew longbow, as it is difficult to find perfect unblemished yew. The demand for yew bowstaves was such that by the late 16th century mature yew trees were almost extinct in northern Europe.[17] In other desirable woods such as [Osage orange](/source/Osage_orange) and [mulberry](/source/Mulberry) the sapwood is almost useless and is normally removed entirely.

Longbows, because of their narrow limbs and rounded cross-section (which does not spread out stress within the wood as evenly as a [flatbow](/source/Flatbow)’s rectangular cross section), need to be less powerful, longer or of more elastic wood than an equivalent flatbow. In Europe the last approach was used, with yew being the wood of choice, because of its high compressive strength, light weight, and elasticity. Yew is the best widespread European timber that will make good self longbows, (other woods such as elm can make longbows but require heat-treating of the belly and a wider belly/narrower back, while still falling into the definition of a longbow) and has been the main wood used in European bows since Neolithic times. More common and cheaper hard woods, including [elm](/source/Elm), [oak](/source/Oak), [hickory](/source/Hickory), [ash](/source/Ash_tree), [hazel](/source/Hazel) and [maple](/source/Maple), are good for flatbows. A narrow longbow with high draw-weight can be made from these woods, but it is likely to take a permanent bend (known as "set" or "following the string") and would probably be outshot by an equivalent made of yew.[*[original research?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research)*][*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Wooden [laminated](/source/Laminated_bow) longbows can be made by gluing together two or more different pieces of wood. Usually this is done to take advantage of the inherent properties of different woods: some woods can better withstand compression while others are better at withstanding tension. Examples include [hickory](/source/Hickory) and [lemonwood](/source/Calycophyllum_candidissimum), or [bamboo](/source/Bamboo) and yew longbows: hickory or bamboo is used on the back of the bow (the part facing away from the archer when shooting) and so is in tension, while the belly (the part facing the archer when shooting) is made of lemonwood or yew and undergoes compression (see [bending](/source/Bending) for a further explanation of stresses in a bending beam). Traditionally made Japanese [yumi](/source/Yumi) are also laminated longbows, made from strips of wood: the core of the bow is [bamboo](/source/Bamboo), the back and belly are bamboo or [hardwood](/source/Hardwood), and hardwood strips are laminated to the bow's sides to prevent twisting. Any wooden bow must have gentle treatment and be protected from excessive damp or dryness. Wooden bows may shoot as well as fiberglass, but they are more easily dented or broken by abuse. Bows made of modern materials can be left strung for longer than wood bows, which may take a large amount of set if not unstrung immediately after use.

## Legacy

The longbow and its [historical significance](/source/English_longbow#Use), arising from its adoption by the [Welsh](/source/Welsh_people) fighting alongside the English during the [Hundred Years' War](/source/Hundred_Years'_War), have created a lasting legacy for the longbow, which has given its name to modern military equipment, including:

- The Dakota [Longbow T-76](/source/Longbow_T-76), a sniper rifle

- The **AN/APG-78 Longbow,** a [millimeter-wave](/source/Millimeter-wave) [fire-control radar](/source/Fire-control_radar) (FCR) system for the [Apache](/source/Boeing_AH-64_Apache) [attack helicopter](/source/Attack_helicopter) (often called "Apache Longbow" when equipped with this system)

- The [AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire](/source/AGM-114_Hellfire), an air-to-ground missile with millimeter-wave guidance

## See also

- [Bow shape](/source/Bow_shape)

- [Cable-backed bow](/source/Cable-backed_bow)

- [Composite bow](/source/Composite_bow)

- [Crossbow](/source/Crossbow)

- [Horse archer](/source/Horse_archer)

- [Welsh bow](/source/Welsh_bow)

## References

**Notes**

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Scottish Archaeological Research Framework: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Neolithic: Alison Sheridan & Kenny Brophy (editors). ScARF National Framework Neolithic 5. Material culture and use of resources 5.3 Organics 5.3.2 Wood and other plant material [https://scarf.scot/national/scarf-neolithic-panel-report/5-material-culture-and-use-of-resources/5-3-organics/5-3-2-wood-and-other-plant-material/](https://scarf.scot/national/scarf-neolithic-panel-report/5-material-culture-and-use-of-resources/5-3-organics/5-3-2-wood-and-other-plant-material/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Loades, Mike (2013) *The Longbow*, Osprey Publishing, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-7820-0085-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-7820-0085-3) (p. 7)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The History of the English Longbow"](https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Longbow/). *Historic UK*. Retrieved 2023-02-15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Efficacy of the Medieval Longbow: A Reply to Kelly DeVries,"](https://www.academia.edu/13146838/_The_Efficacy_of_the_Medieval_Longbow_A_Reply_to_Kelly_DeVries_War_in_History_5_no._2_1998_233-42) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160123072400/http://www.academia.edu/13146838/_The_Efficacy_of_the_Medieval_Longbow_A_Reply_to_Kelly_DeVries_War_in_History_5_no._2_1998_233-42) 2016-01-23 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) *War in History* 5, no. 2 (1998): 233–242; idem, "The Battle of Agincourt", *The Hundred Years War (Part II): Different Vistas*, ed. L. J. Andrew Villalon and Donald J. Kagay (Leiden: Brill, 2008): 37–132.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Nolan, Cathal J. (2006), [*The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000–1650: An Encyclopedia of Global Warfare and Civilization, Volume 2*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oBHJ1eK_tcoC&dq=Edward+III+longbow&pg=PA546) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160820022828/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oBHJ1eK_tcoC&pg=PA546&dq=Edward+III+longbow&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjdkYD736rNAhWmKsAKHayBBlQQ6AEIMzAE) 2016-08-20 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Greenwood Press, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-313-33734-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-313-33734-9) (pp. 546–547)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Heath, Ernest Gerald (1972). [*The Grey Goose Wing*](https://books.google.com/books?id=mcTtAAAAMAAJ&q=flodden). New York Graphic Society. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0821204498](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0821204498) – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hutchinson, Robert (2013) *The Spanish Armada*, Phoenix (Orion Books Ltd) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-7802-2088-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-7802-2088-8) (pp. 65–66)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["The History of the English Longbow"](http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Longbow/). *historic-uk.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170612202822/http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-Longbow/) from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Fox, E.T. (2020). *For Maytenance of Archers*. Lulu.com. p. 205-216. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-716-44395-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-716-44395-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ferguson_10-0)** Byron Ferguson (2002). *Diventare la freccia* (in Italian). Greentime Editori.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ByronFerguson_11-0)** Luca Vinci. ["Diventare la freccia"](https://www.arcoefreccia.it/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2020/03/Arco-2013-2-04.pdf) (PDF). *arcoefreccia.it* (in Italian).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["The (UK) National Field Archery Association's definition of a longbow"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070209021550/http://www.nfas.net/nfas_styles.asp?style=LB). Archived from [the original](http://www.nfas.net/nfas_styles.asp?style=LB) on February 9, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The International Field Archery's definition"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927191949/http://www.ifaa-archery.org/pages/longbow.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.ifaa-archery.org/pages/longbow.htm) on September 27, 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["British Longbow Society Definition"](https://sylvanarchery.co.uk/longbowrequirementsnew.html). *Sylvan Archery*. 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Cornhill, R. E. ["Longbow definition"](https://www.longbow-archers-association.org/Definition/). *International Longbow Archers Association*. Retrieved November 5, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Traditional Archery"](https://www.twistedstave.com/traditional-archery2/). Clay Hayes.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** *Yew: A History*. Hageneder F. Sutton Publishing, 2007. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7509-4597-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7509-4597-4).

## Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Longbows](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Longbows).

Look up ***[longbow](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/longbow)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

- *The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1*. 1992. The Lyons Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-58574-085-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58574-085-3).

- *The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 2*. 1992. The Lyons Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-58574-086-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58574-086-1).

- *The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 3*. 1994. The Lyons Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-58574-087-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58574-087-X).

- *The Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 4*. 2008. The Lyons Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9645741-6-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9645741-6-8).

- Bryant, Arthur (1963). *The Age of Chivalry*.

- Gray, David (2002). *Bows of the World*. The Lyons Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-58574-478-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58574-478-6).

- *The Great Warbow: From Hastings to the Mary Rose*, by Dr. Matthew Strickland [Department of History – Dr Matthew Strickland](https://web.archive.org/web/20071118111923/http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/History/staff/strickland.htm) and Robert Hardy, Pub Sutton, 2005, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7509-3167-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7509-3167-1).

- *Longbow: A Social and Military History*, by [Robert Hardy](/source/Robert_Hardy), CBE, FSA. Pub Sutton, rev 2006, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7509-4391-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7509-4391-2).

- Jenkins, Simon 2018 *A Short History of England* pp. 72–73 Profile Books Ltd. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978 1 78816 089 6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978_1_78816_089_6)

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