The History of the Trebuchet

The trebuchet is considered to be “one of the most fearsome weapons of medieval times.”

“The word 'Trebuchet' is derived from the Old French word 'Trebucher,' meaning to throw over.”

The trebuchet was used by the Mongols at the Siege of Caffa in one of the first cases of Biological Warfare.

The Trebuchet originated in China in 300BC. It was later used in Medieval Europe around 500AD. The French were the first Europeans to use the trebuchet, and changed it to rely on a counterweight at the short end of the lever, instead of manpower. In 1216, the trebuchet was used by France’s Louis the Dauphin during the Siege of Dover in England. This exposure to the trebuchet caused King Edward I of England to order the building of an English version of the trebuchet, and this design--called the Warwolf--is considered “the most powerful and most famous of the trebuchet.”

"Medieval Arms Race." NOVA Online. WGBH Educational Foundation, Nov. 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/race.html>.

"Trebuchet." Trebuchet. Lords and Ladies. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. <http://www.lordsandladies.org/trebuchet.htm>.