341 BC |
Earliest reliable record of
crossbow use at battle of Ma-Ling in China. |
228 BC |
Earliest crossbow artifact, a
bronze lock mechanism from the tomb of Yu Wang. |
0-100 AD |
Heron of Alexandria describes
gastraphetes. |
300-700 |
Roman carvings of crossbows. |
385 |
Vegetius mentions crossbows in DE
RE MILITARIA. |
1066 |
Crossbows introduced to England by
Normans. |
1096 |
Anna Comnena describes Norman
crossbows. |
1100-1200 |
Composite crossbow lath appears. |
1139 |
2nd Lateran Council interdict
forbids use of crossbow among Christians. |
1192 |
Crusader victory at Jaffa aided by
crossbows. |
1314 |
Earliest reliable record of steel
lath. |
1346 |
Genoese crossbowmen defeated at
Crecy by English longbowmen. |
1373 |
Earliest illustration of cranequin. |
1503 |
First of many English laws
restricting possession and use of crossbows. |
1550-1600 |
Firearms replace crossbows in most
Western armies. |
1860 |
Photographic evidence from Chinese
shows repeating crossbows still used there as military weapons. |
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