In 1139, the Twenty-Ninth Canon of the Second Lateran Council prohibited
the use of crossbows as well as bows and arrows. Appearances of
humanity to the contrary, the use of these weapons was prohibited
only against Christians and was actually encouraged for use against
the "infidels" against whom the Crusades were being waged.
With the introduction of gunpowder, cannons, and other firearms,
the destructive capabilities of war and weaponry became even more
pressing. Jurists, theologians, and politicians returned to the
concept of the "just war."
The crossbow known as the "Western Bow" was popular,
and it appeared all over Western Europe from the 11th through the
16th centuries. It is simple and rectangular in section, with a
quarrel (bolt) groove and metal sideplates. It is one of the most
widely depicted crossbows in medieval manuscripts and paintings.
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