Norman Conquest Encyclopedia
Selfbow
Archers of the mid-11th century used either the crossbow or the selfbow. The longbow was a later, Welsh introduction. The selfbow was not as powerful as it was shorter than the longbow and was, perhaps, drawn only to the chest rather than to the ear. Against a knight in mail arrows from the selfbow were probably effective up to a range of 100 yards (915m).
See also: Archers; crossbow; knight; mail
Related Reading:
- Hastings 1066 (Revised Edition)- The Fall of Saxon England
(Campaign 13 )
A Norman archer carrying a selfbow almost as tall as himself. (© Osprey Publishing Limited, from Campaign 13 Hastings 1066 , by Christopher Gravett, artwork by Rick Scollins)