Old Yew: The Value of the English Longbow
in the Hundred Years War
Abstract:
In the Hundred Years War, the English longbow was truly transformed into an essential piece of the English army. The Edwardian phase of the Hundred Years war, 1337-1360, saw several military innovations by the English and the increased use of the longbow was one of them. This paper assesses the impact that the English longbow had on this era of the Hundred Years War to show that the English longbow was an essential part of English success at this time and had significant impact beyond the battlefield as well. However this position is not universally acknowledged. Some scholars are of the opinion that the longbow was a useful, but not necessary, part of the English army. This paper well enter into this debate by examining the technical capabilities of the longbow, the tactical implementation and as well as the social context of the time to present an accurate picture of the role of the English Longbow in Edwardian Phase of the Hundred Years war.