In 1979, divers excavating the wreck of the Mary Rose discovered numerous yew longbows in remarkable condition, some still in their packing chests. The finds have revolutionized our knowledge of power and performance of the weapon that helped to win the great battles.

Though the longbow is most famous for its role in the Hundred Years War, the authors take us on a fascinating journey through its long history in warfare from the Anglo-Saxon and Viking period right up to the War of the Roses and the longbow's gradual decline in Tudor England. We see its deployment in diverse theatres of war, in Wales and Ireland, on the crusades in Syria and Palestine, and in guerrilla warfare deep in the forests of England. The longbow's increasing importance is traced through the bitter Anglo-Scottish wars of Edward I and Edward II, including the great battle of Bannockburn, to its apogee in the fields of France under Edward III and Henry V. Tactical developments and the weapon's performance against armour are closely examined, while a comparative study of the crossbow and composite bow provides an essential context for the longbow's significance. This book provides a fresh and authoritative account of one of the deadliest and most feared weapons of the Middle Ages.