In movies filled with medieval scenes, we often see tools used by warriors to prevent their enemies from progressing or to destroy walls and even strong fortifications. We're talking about this large, hard-looking tool that throws stones and even hand-made explosives. How is it called? Is it trebuchet or is it a catapult? Let's find out.
Trebuchet is actually a type of catapult. A catapult is any device that throws an object that can be rock or explosive. Catapults were a popular weapon in the Middle Ages.
Trebuchet exists since the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, trebuchet became known in the Mediterranean, where Christians and Muslims lived. Trebuchet was a very powerful catapult that threw 140 kilos. His casting ability can send projectiles at high speed. It is believed that the trebuches were the most powerful and useful catapults that existed in the Middle Ages. Trebuca's slingshot was often armed with stones as ammunition, but later people learned that they could also replace stones with sharp wooden rods resembling arrows. The use of trebuchet at that time was very popular until the appearance of a new weapon, which was gunpowder. The use of portals has become obsolete.
For the trebuchet to work, it depends on the energy produced by the raised counterweight. After it has absorbed all the sufficient energy, it may involve shedding a missile. Trebuchet has a short beam that is attached to the axis. At the end of the long beam, the counterweight is attached with a slingshot. In general, the trebucca has three main features:
- It is powered only by gravity.
- Its strength is 4 to 6 times the length of the counterweight arm.
- Uses a slingshot that acts as a secondary support point.
These three main features of trebuchet include its acceleration of the projectile.
On the other hand, the catapult is integrated with tools or devices that are used to throw objects into the movement of a bullet covering a large distance. The catapult was extremely useful in ancient times. I was used in wars and invasions.
And now some questions:
- Did you know that trebuchet is a kind of catapult?
- What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
- What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
- https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-tactical-advantages-of-a-trebuchet-over-a-catapult-and-vice-versa
- https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/82635/catapult-vs-trebuchet
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebuchet
- parts of livestreams: https://www.youtube.com/user/I360FlipStuff
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4l02wc (picture1)
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x42jrrb (picture2)
Comments
2. I think people would still fight with anything they could get their hands on. Maybe wars would have been a lot less bloody.
3. I think one of the greatest inventions in Middle Ages was printing press.
I can only assume. Probably wars would have a different ending. Maybe more people would survive wars or invent a worse weapon in those days.
The mechanical clock was certainly an interesting and extremely useful mechanism invented in the Middle Ages and used until today.
Well, black powder invention became the basis for almost every weapon used in wars but also it has great importance for chemistry. I think people would eventually invent different explosive mixture but it'd probably delay the technological progress.
Definitely the printing press was the most important invention of the middle ages.
2. To my mind, less people would have died if nobody hadn't invented black powder and this is the main benefit. But without it we wouldn't have discover space because it is used in rockets, we wouldn't have seen the beautiful fireworks on New Year's Eve.
3. Previous commentators stated that the printing press was one of the most important inventions in the Middle Ages. I agree with them. But also there were mechanisms that destroyed somebodies' lives during The Saint Inquisition like the rack, the knee splitter, the judas cradle, and others.
I have no idea from where in my entire life I have had an opportunity to know it. Wait, here it is.
2. What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
I think it's too difficult to assess all the consequences. My main idea - people will invent something different, but for similar purposes.
3. What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
I know a lot of interesting mechanisms, but I'm not sure which of them were invented in the Middle Ages
2. I think that if no one would come up with black powder, people would still use catapults. It's possible that at some point new types of siege machines would definitely appear, but I don't know how they would work or look.
3. To refer to the topic, I think that when it comes to siege machines, ram is also worth mentioning. It was used to break down the gates and walls of castles and other besieged fortifications. Ram could have the form of scaffolding with a heavy beam, which was supposed to swing and hit the gate. It was between 8 and 30 m long. Usually such a machine was equipped with wheels and a roof to protect soldiers from enemy missiles.
2. I suppose soldiers would go to war with swords and arches.
3. Trebuchet was really important military invention in Middle Ages but it's worth mentioning about printing press that pushed civilization forward.
2. I think wars would be less deathly, but it's hard to imagine what will happen, as someone will maybe come out with more deathly ideas.
3. I know that mechanisms like printing press, glasses or watches also come from middle age.
2. Good question, I never thought about it. Let me remind you that gunpowder was invented by Asians in ancient times. It was used for primitive fireworks.
Back to the topic, in my opinion, gun powder is one of the most important inventions of humanity next to the wheel and paper. The world would look completely different without it, but I don't know if it would be safer? I doubt it. I suspect that every policeman or soldier would have a crossbow and sword. Siege machines would be made of carbon fiber or titanium. However, I still don't know what tanks or fighters might look like? Maybe, like in the Star Wars, they would be equipped with laser weapons?
3. Many believes that the greatest invention of the Middle Ages is the development of the printing method by Johannes Guteneberg. I totally agree with that. In addition, in the Middle Ages the first glasses, a mechanical watch, a wheelbarrow, dams on rivers, rudders for ships, metallurgical furnaces, periscope, iron plow were created.
1. No, I had no idea that trebuchet is a kind of catapult. I thought these were just two different siege weapons.
2. If black powder wasn't invented, I think there would be no firearms. And who knows, maybe all wars up to the present time would have happened differently? And everything would look different?
3. One of the interesting devices that arose in the Middle Ages is the printing press, for sure.
2. In my opinion if it wasn't for black powder which was logical descendant of middle age weaponry, our civilisation wouldn't develop in such rapid pace.
3. I'm not into middle ages at all so i'm not really aware of such inventions.
2. If black powder were not invented, people would certainly have thought of something else. What would affect later events and today's world.
3. Printing press and watch/mechanical clock
2. Hmm it's hard to say. Maybe we wouldn't have so many wars :) or still use bows and crossbows
3. Paper money - it's 2019 and we still use them.
2. Wars would have still been very inhumane, even more than now, to defend themselves people would have had to spend a lot of time training with a sword, everyone would’ve walked down the streets with swords and bows (where it is legalized, of course), preparing for a fierce battle with a dragon. Well, maybe without the dragon part. Lots of fun and cruelty anyways. Later on, someone would’ve invented another way to kill people but it’s a numerous page essay material now.
3. Eyeglasses are nice, you know. Seeing things surely helps. Mechanical clocks are valuable too, for obvious reasons.
2. I assume that people could find/invent some alternative materials.
3. Unfortunately it won't be very original, but the only invention of Middle Ages I can think of right away is creation of printing press. It definitely changed history of all humanity.
2. I think the question isn't what if nobody invented black powder, but what if it was invented later. Let's be honest there's no way no one would manage to do it is such a long time. If it was delayed, then I guess overall development of civilizations would be delayed as well. It's not like people didn't need black powder. It's important invention. I see lots of people state that probably less people would die. I actually think different. People would still die, just in less humane ways. Most of war casualties in past were not from actual combat but from attrition. Diseases, hunger, exhaustion. Hence advancement in military and branches related to it was probably something actually good.
3. Experience from video games, which introduced me to trebuchet, would say that either siege towers (if we stay in war topic) or printing press (if we go to more economical or cultural aspect). Overall medieval despite being period in which technological advancement got really slow had some very interesting inventions. For example greek fire was very nice, although I'm not entirely sure if it was still medieval or actually dark ages. I think one of most useful things though was actually compass. Without it navigation would be really hard and exploration was one of best things that could happen to spread of technology. People would learn new things from around the world and likewise spread their own inventions and cultures, and that led to further advancement. Such simple, yet great thing. Personally I think it was much more important at the moment it was invented, than printing press at its own time.
2. I think that our world will develop slower without black powder, because black powder contributed to technology development and had significant influence on chemistry, constructions etc. In addition people will still use cold steel.
3. I am not intrested in it, but I watched a documentary film that was devoted to medieval inventions that changed our world. There was an information about printing press, mechanical clock or eyeglasses. To be honest I was impressed that they invited things that we still use.
2. It is very hard to say. Perhaps the devices you mention would've been improved or some other mechanisms invented, which is most likely to me. In more abstract case, as this question is, maybe humanity would go straight to nuclear.
3. Sticking to the theme of presentations, I would say siege towers. The variety of ways you can use them is quite enormous. Maybe they could even have a trebuchet on top of it.
2. It would probably extremely slow down development. It was used not only to produce weapons like explosives, etc. but also chemistry and medicine. Crossbows would still dominate battlefields so strategies and tactics would probably evolve in different ways.
3. Probably water-mills, they revolutionized production. While it's true that they were used from antiquity, they became super popular during the Middle Ages. They allowed people to harness the energy from natural forces like rivers which was a huge help at those times.
It's hard to say how a civilization would evlove at this point. Maybe we would have find what a true peace is all about?
A crosbow or a mill. The second one seems interesting.
No, I didn't know that. I have never been interested in such inventions. But now I know.
2.What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
I think it's not possible for people to never invent it. However, assuming that this would be the case, another thing would be invented that would cause such great damage. Or people would spend time on a different type of tactic but if we mean the damage he did, I think the number of people who died would be similar, just a different tool.
3.What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
Oh , asking a woman about such things is like asking a man to make gel or acrylic nails. Unfortunately, I can't answer this question because I'm not interested.
2. I think, that the medieval-like siege machines could still be used. Perhaps they would be improved and made of lighter and more durable materials.
3. In my opinion, one of the most impressive inventions of medieval ages were eyeglasses. They were invented around 13th century and they have gone through ages with pretty much unchanged form. It is astonishing that people back then recognised the eye problems and found such a simple solution.
1. I have never thought about it, but for me it is logical thats kind o catapult. I didnt know that but if somebody asked me about it a will describe it as kind of catapult.
2. If nobody invented black powder, probably we will use other type of weapons. Who knows, maybe more advanced or maybe less, but i think it will be something close to gunpowder, maybe from diffrent material but for sure range weapon.
3. The one which come first to me is the compass. It is still in use by people. In the Middle Ages it just shows us the north, but later helps people discover the world and sailing.
2. I think we would use atomic energy as a substitute for black powder.
3. In my opinion, one of the most interesting mechanisms that arose in the Middle Ages is the battering ram. A battering ram is a siege engine that is designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates.
2. I think people would invent some other material/substance with similar features.
3. For me, the finest mechanisms from the Middle Ages are a mechanical watch and a crossbow.
Well yes, they look similar.
2. What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
Maybe America wouldn’t be conquered till today, maybe there would still be samurai in Japan. But most likely they would invent something similar, because people imagination has no bound especially when we want to kill someone much easier.
3. What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
They invented many useful things like printing press, glasses, hourglass, mechanical clock and many more think that you would never connect to Middle Age.
I really like Middle Ages but never heard of it.
2.What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
It's really hard to say but propably some similar kind of weapon.
3.What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
I think crossbow is an ideal example.
2. I think first automated and semi-automated crossbows and steam-pressure guns would be invented.
3. All kinds of torture mechanisms. It was a golden time for religion.
2. I think that our world would eventually look completly different or people would invent it sooner or later.
3.Flying buttress or mechanical clock
2. If nobody invented black powder, trebuchet would still be powerful weapon to deal with
3. I only know about trebuchet since there was a wave of memes about it so i learned quite a few things about it
2. Training would be more important than technique during wars. Fewer people would have died during the wars. There could never have been an industrial revolution.
3. The only thing that comes to my mind is the printing press. It revolutionized the world. This is one of the most important inventions of mankind.
2. They would come up with something else deadly. Man makes a weapon amazingly well.
3. Personally, I am a fan of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, I analyzed many of his schemes.
Yes I knew that before.
What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
That would have huge implications on nowdays world. I am sure that countries would have looked differently, maybe our culture would be different. Many wars wouldn't have happened, maybe other wars would have started. This is a question that is impossible to answer.
What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
Printing invented by Gutenberg in Europe.
1. Of course. War machines, what could be more interesting?))
2. As usually it happened in Middle Ages - many wars and conflicts
between countries, and we would live in knightly times
3. For example blast furnace or mechanical watch
2. I think modern weapons wouldn't be created without gunpowder. But alongside this, we will lose a vast part of invented technologies and maybe our civilization will create another way to advance.
3. As a man who loves to travel in unexplored parts of the forest, I think the compass and mechanical clock are the best inventions of that time.
No, thins information is new to me. Thanks you for this :)
What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
I think it would have changed evevrything. Mayber there would be other countries or some countries would simply vanished, because I think humans were always masters in creating some deadly weapons.
What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
I think printing press, which changed a lot. That was the first, which I get in mind and I think it is a very important invention.
Yes, thanks to video games. No matter how strange it sounds, I know it from one strategic game.
What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
There would be lightsabers and laser bullets ... Aren't you watching fiction? If seriously, there could be any other explosive in which there is no sulfur, nitrate and coal would be suitable for the role of gunpowder. Just gunpowder was among them more convenient and cheaper.
Therefore, nothing would have changed. Modern weapons would be exactly the same, only the ammunition would be slightly more expensive.
What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
I know many things but simply I don't know how they called. I tried to google names but I couldn't find how they called sorry
RE: Yes I did.
What do you think? What would happen if nobody invented black powder?
RE: Inviting black powder was really cool thing and it push our limits event further. Till today explosive materials are used in so many usefull ways.
What other interesting mechanisms do you know that arose in the Middle Ages?
RE: Iron Maiden and more torture devices