Medieval Weapons The battlefield is the great proving ground of technology. The bow-and-arrow remains effective throughout the medieval era, but advances in the surface-hardening of iron result in far superior cutting weapons, and defensive armor. Cannons are new on the battlefield, though they are initially so large and heavy that their usefulness is limited.

	Armor The height of armored technology is the mounted knight. Imagine standing in a battle line, with several hundred mounted knights thundering down on you, at full gallop. The skill of the workmen who make the armor (lower right) results in marvelous examples of ornate body armor (center), for the wealthy few who can afford it. Everyone else fights in simpler armor, which is gradually made more comfortable by the introduction of a kind of flexible metal fabric called chain mail.
	Europe Under Siege The favored form of battle is the siege. This involves surrounding a castle or town, and trying to starve the defenders into surrendering. The logic of the siege is brutal. If defenders surrender quickly, the invaders take everything of value, and levy taxes for years to come, but everyone survives. If defenders stubbornly resist, however, the invaders might manage to breach the defenses anyway, and slaughter all the remaining men.  Women and children are then often sold into slavery.