The article explains about the siege engines: their structure and history of development. The first trebuchets were powered by 250 people; it had disadvantages, as the soldiers became easy targets for archers. By about 600 CE trebuchet was replaced by modified counterpoise engine, a mangonel. While trebuchets had hinged counterweights, mangonels had fixed counterweights. Both of them had advantages over the older torsion engines. First, movement of trebuchet and mangonel was smooth, while “torsion engine throwing arm is stopped suddenly by a padded bar”. It created force that could break an engine. Second, unlike torsion engines, counterpoise engines could be built in different sizes. As engines got bigger, castle builders also constructed larger castles. Counterpoise engines could throw sphere stones as far away as 350 meters. It depended on the weight of stones which were usually 20-100 kilos. The range of engines was longer than range of arrows. So, it gave advantage over archers.
Then, author describes the different designs of engines by providing pictures.
All these engines were merits of Middle Ages’ engineers. They played as important roles as soldiers, even if they were not in battlefield. They design weapons, that change outcome of wars.
It’s interesting to see how machines evolved so quickly and to see how size also started to grow. It’s also very interesting to see how powerful these people made their machines while fighting. Had opposing sides had not kept fighting back, there would not have been advances in weaponry as well as defenses such as walls. engr 103
ReplyDeleteJust as Jumpingbeans noted, it's very interesting that engineering has been in part fuelled by the defensive and offensive needs of battle. This is still true in recent history. Take for example the Internet. At first it was strictly being built for military communication purpose. Look at what is has become now. It is the very backbone of the globalized world of today. I can’t help but to wonder what would have happened had the US military not had the need for the internet.
ReplyDeleteAnother example is the developpment of aircrafts. During world war I military generals recognized the potential of planes in battlefield. Slowly, more efficient aircrafts were being being built to be faster, more efficient and more importantl y more deadly. The Second World War, continued to pushed aircraft design to the cutting edge of technology. Again here you would wonder if the aircraft industry would still be the same without the needs of the military and war.
Engr 103
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