mangonel

A mangonel is a type of torsion-powered siege engine used to hurl projectiles at fortified positions. The name is believed to derive from Old French mangonelle or mangonneau; the exact origin is uncertain. The mechanism relies on bundles of twisted fibers—typically sinew, hair, or gut—as torsion springs. A short, stout throwing arm is mounted on a wooden frame, with the projectile placed in a spoon, cup, or trough at the end of the arm. When the trigger is released, the torsion stored in the cords drives the arm forward to launch the stone.

Variation among mangonels existed, but all share the same principle: energy stored by twisting cords is released suddenly to accelerate the throwing arm. Range and payload varied, but typical projectiles weighed several kilograms and ranges were tens to a few hundred meters. Mangonels were used in medieval sieges across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa from roughly the 11th through the 14th centuries, to batter walls, breach gates, or throw incendiaries and grapnels into or over defenses. They were often deployed in artillery train positions alongside other siege engines.

By the late medieval period, counterweight trebuchets offered greater range and accuracy and gradually supplanted torsion engines like the mangonel. In modern times, mangonels are studied by historians and reproduced by hobbyists and museums for demonstrations and reenactments. Surviving examples exist in museum collections, and reconstructions help illustrate medieval siege warfare and the evolution of artillery technology.