trébuchet

A trebuchet is a type of catapult, a siege engine that was developed in China in the 5th century BC and later adapted by the Arabs and Europeans. It functions as a type of lever that uses a counterweight to hurl a projectile. The earliest forms were typically human-powered, but later, more powerful designs incorporated a large counterweight. This counterweight, when released, swung downwards, pulling one end of a long beam upwards and forwards. Attached to the other end of this beam was a sling, which held the projectile. As the beam swung, the sling accelerated, and at a specific point in the arc, the projectile was released, propelled forward with great force.

Trebuchets were particularly effective against fortifications. Their ability to launch heavy projectiles over long distances and with considerable accuracy made them formidable weapons for breaching walls and destroying defensive structures. The design evolved over centuries, with variations in size, counterweight mechanisms, and arm length contributing to increased power and range. The most famous type is the counterweight trebuchet, which became dominant in European warfare during the Middle Ages. Despite their eventual obsolescence with the advent of gunpowder artillery, trebuchets represent a significant advancement in siege warfare technology.