Which Medieval Weapon Was Most Common? | 60 Seconds History

From swords and daggers to spears and lances and bows and crossbows and morning stars, a huge variety of different weapons were used on medieval battlefields. But have you ever wondered which type of weapon was most common? Now, you first thought maybe the sword. Any warrior needs a sword, right? Well, swords actually weren't that common on battlefields, as they required lots of metal to produce. Instead, most warriors used a spear. Spears were inexpensive and easy to produce. Typically made of a long wooden shaft and a small metal head, spears were much cheaper and faster to make than swords and thus ideal for equipping large armies. Furthermore, unlike swords, they did not require a lot of training to use effectively. Even part-time fighters and peasants could easily use their spear to thrust at enemies from behind a shield. And of course, the spear had a core advantage over the sword. Spears could be up to 10 feet in length, much longer than even the average longsword, which typically was no larger than 3 to 4 feet in length. Beyond that, spears were very convenient when used in great numbers. Tactical formations such as pike blocks, a shield wall or even an ancient hoplite phalanx frequently won the day for an army. And lastly, spears could be used in a variety of ways. Beyond thrusting, many spears could be thrown at enemies or planted into the ground to protect the battle line against cavalry charges. Now as always, thank you for watching. And if you enjoyed the video, please like, comment, subscribe and become a channel member to support our work.