Research

What is a Trebuchet?

   

General Information:

   

A trebuchet is a medieval siege engine. It was used to launch projectiles great distances to reduce walls to rubble or to throw infected corpses over castle walls, similar to modern days’ biological warfare.

The trebuchet came to be during the twelfth century in and around Europe. The average weight of it’s projectiles ranged from 50-100kg with an average throwing distance of 300m, however balls of up to 1500kg were recorded to have been used at the battle of Ashyun. The end of the trebuchet came with the introduction of gunpowder giving way to the siege weapon of choice, the cannon. This innovation came about towards the end of the 15th century.