Traditional English Longbow Quiver: A Game-Changer in Medieval Warfare

In medieval England, the traditional longbow quiver was a crucial component of military strategy and tactics. The curing process, perfected by the longbow makers, played a significant role in protecting the wood from the elements and enhancing its strength.

The preferred wood for making longbows was yew, which required a 4-year curing process to achieve optimal results. This painstaking process resulted in an incredibly strong piece of wood, measuring around 6 feet tall and 5/8 inch wide.

Although the English longbow had been invented by the Celts in Wales around 1180 C.E., it didn't become a crucial part of the English military arsenal until the 1300s. This period saw a significant shift in European politics, with the English longbow proving to be a game-changer on the battlefield.

Prior to this, knights' skills and weapons were considered worth ten ordinary soldiers, leading to the French reaction to defeats at the hands of common peasants. The English invested time and effort into mastering the longbow, while the French did not. This disparity in skill led to decisive victories for the English, such as those at Crecy, Agincourt, and Poitiers.

King Henry I even decreed that archers who killed someone during practice would be absolved of murder, highlighting the importance placed on archery skills. Plantagenet King Edward III took this further by introducing the Archery Law in 1363, which mandated obligatory archery practice on Sundays and holidays.

The law 'forbade, on pain of death, all sport that took up time better spent on war training especially archery practise.' This emphasis on archery continued with the 'Assize of Arms' in 1252, which ordered every Englishman between 15 and 60 years old to equip themselves with a bow and arrows.

In conclusion, the traditional English longbow quiver played a vital role in medieval warfare, and its importance cannot be overstated. The curing process, combined with the time and effort invested in mastering the art of archery, made the English longbow an unstoppable force on the battlefield.

Traditional english longbow quiver