Crossbow

[Mathieu Harlaut]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for an example of 15th century cranequin crossbow from =20
Western Europe (France, UK, Belgium).

I came across countless images of original XVth (or so) German =20
crossbows with bone and horn inlays on the tiller and composite bows =20
but no Western European crossbow so far.

 =46rom Western europe I have found a 16th century windlass crossbow =20
from England and the mention of a what might be a Burgundian windlass =20=

crossbow kept in the Landesmuseum of Z=FCrich (but no images). I read =20=

description stating that crossbows from Western Europe where quite =20
different form the German/eastern european type: Western Europe =20
crossbow are said to have been using metal bows much sooner and their =20=

tillers were usually more angular with metal fittings instead of linen =20=

cord fastening for bows and nuts.

Again there is a lot of representation of crossbow in German art : =20
miniatures of course and some very precise paintings showing a lot of =20=

details. Unfortunately I have found only one painting of a crossbow =20
from Flanders but it is not precise at all : St Ursula Shrine by Hans =20=

Memling.  There a lot of miniatures but they are usually not very =20
precise and do nothing more then confirming the angular shape of the =20
tiller and stirrup except for early miniature showing composite bow =20
which are very similar to the east european type (livre de chasse de =20
Gaston Febus late 14th c).
I have looked very closely at the engraving of the Burgundian cavalry =20=

by the master WA but I am not able to make a real object out of the =20
crossbow held by the Cranequiniers of the companies of ordinances.

Obviously any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Mathieu