An arbalest.

The arbalest (Also "arblast") was a late variation of the medieval European crossbow. A larger weapon, the arbalest had a steel prod ("bow"). Since an arbalest was much larger than earlier crossbows, and because of the greater tensile strength of steel, it had a greater force. The strongest windlass-pulled arbalests could have up to 22 kN (5000 lbf) strength and be accurate up to 500 m. A skilled arbalestier (arblaster) could shoot two bolts per minute. Arbalests were sometimes considered inhumane or unfair weapons, since an inexperienced crossbowman could use one to kill a knight who had a lifetime of training. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1397x2395, 189 KB) fr: arbalette lourde, musée du chateau de Morges, Suisse. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1397x2395, 189 KB) fr: arbalette lourde, musée du chateau de Morges, Suisse. ... A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that fires projectiles. ... The bayonet is used as both knife and spear. ... The old Steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon content between 0. ... A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that fires projectiles. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Strength of materials. ... The old Steel cable of a colliery winding tower Steel is a metal alloy whose major component is iron, with carbon content between 0. ... The newton (symbol: N) is the SI unit of force. ... The pound-force is a non-SI unit of force or weight (properly abbreviated lbf or lbf). The pound-force is equal to a mass of one pound multiplied by the standard acceleration due to gravity on Earth (which is defined as exactly 9. ... Note: a quarrel may also mean an argument or fight. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ...

This led to their ban by Pope Innocent II, in whose name Canon 29 of the Second Lateran Council (1139, as translated in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, ed. Norman P. Tanner) states "We prohibit under anathema that murderous art of crossbowmen and archers, which is hateful to God, to be employed against Christians and Catholics from now on." Note that the anathema was only on the use of these weapons against "Christians and Catholics." In context, this proscription was probably a very late part of a wider, millennial attempt by the Roman Catholic Church to limit warfare, known as the Peace of God movement.^{[citation needed]} The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... Innocent II, né Gregory Papareschi (d. ... The Second Lateran Council was called by Pope Innocent II in 1139 as an attempt to reunify the church after the two papacies. ... Anathema (in Greek Ανάθεμα) meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods; later, with evolving meanings, it came to mean: to be formally set apart, banished, exiled, excommunicated or denounced, sometimes accursed. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as the Christ. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see Terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins and sees itself as the same Church founded by Jesus of Nazareth and maintained through Apostolic Succession from the Twelve... ...

The term arbalest is sometimes used interchangeably with crossbow. (This is evinced by the number of people in Britain who have the surname Arblaster. The surnames Crossbowman and Ballisterius are very rare.) 'Arbalest' is French corruption from the Roman name arcuballista for crossbow^{[citation needed]} . Notice that modern French uses the word arbalète, not arbalest, and does so for both crossbow and arbalest (the latter may be referred to as heavy crossbow, but an actual heavy crossbow may not be the same as an arbalest).