Antique Crossbow with a Dozen Bolts & More!

Description

This vintage
European Crossbow
, its 12 bolts (arrows), and the accompanying display items, bear witness to how
formidable the weapons of the medieval era really were.  Crossbows similar to this one could be used effectively by military archers without a lot of training and practice, and therefore became the weapon of choice among the Norman (French) and English military forces, from 1066 a.d.
through the 1500's, replacing the traditional long bow, which took years to master.
On October 14th, 1066, during the Battle of Hastings, it was a Norman crossbow that killed King Harold of Godwinson, with a single bolt through the eye. Mounted crossbow archers became celebrated during those five centuries and were hailed as
Knights of the Realm
.
This display also has a chainmail headpiece, a dozen matched 13" bolts, and an extremely rare Norman
poche
,
which was a leather military pouch for carrying messages, maps, and orders during those medieval times.
The
fleur de lis
is embossed on the back of this pouche which, itself, is a rare, one-of-a-kind military antique.  Judging from these artifacts alone, medieval warfare looks to have been extremely harsh and bloody, to say the least. The display is 4' tall by 2' wide, weighs approx. 50 lbs., and is sturdily wired on the back for easy mounting. When is the last time you saw an historic weapon like this from such a bygone- and storied era?
(I know our cat, Annie, was impressed!)  It's an intriguing display for a den, study, gallery, or war museum.