A Brief History
On August 26, 1346, at the Battle of Crecy, the English longbow reigned supreme, and ever since the longbow has been closely associated with England. Here we list 10 such weapons that are famous for representing the country that either invented or perfected the weapon. Some countries are quickly identified with more than one iconic weapon.
Digging Deeper
1. Longbow, England.
At Crecy and at Agincourt (1415) the English Longbow reigned supreme and made its mark as the quintessential English weapon. An effective range of 250 yards and the ability to pierce armor at close range allowed the English, outnumbered 3 to 1, to triumph at Agincourt. A large bow of 6 feet in length, the draw weight of 100 pounds or more (as much as 185 pounds) made the weapon useful only to a well trained bowman. (Modern longbows are only around 60 pounds draw.) The advent of widespread use of firearms, easily handled by minimally trained soldiers and cheaper to make, spelled the end of the dominance of the English longbow, but not its association with England. (Honorable mention to the Brown Bess musket and the Spitfire fighter plane.)
2. Katana, Japan.
Painstakingly made over the course of a few months to a year or more, the “Samurai Sword” is crafted of such fine steel that it normally never needs to be re-sharpened. Even during World War II Japanese officers often carried swords into battle for more than mere appearances. Many Japanese officers that committed ritual Seppuku (suicide) had their head lopped off by an assistant wielding a katana. Today cheap imitations are made around the world, but the genuine article is expensive at a minimum of a couple thousand dollars, and much more for a top quality article. The Katana is generally used with 2 hands, weighs around 2.5 pounds and has a blade around 26 inches long. (Honorable mention to the A6M Zero fighter plane.)
3. AK-47, Soviet Union.
More than the T-34 tank, the Il-2 Sturmovik attack plane, or the PPSh submachinegun, the AK-47 is indelibly associated with the Soviet Union and its Communist government. The first assault rifle to find widespread use, over 100 million of these rifles have been built making it the most manufactured rifle in world history. Even today, it remains the most widely used assault rifle, even though the USSR is gone.
4. Rapier, France.
Although “rapier” is a German word for a foreign weapon, and the long, thin bladed sword was used by other countries as well, it is the image of the dashing Musketeer with his fancy use of the rapier slicing and dicing opponents hampered by less nimble weapons. The rapier is a weapon that relies on the speed its light weight and perfect balance allow, and the term, “Rapier like swiftness” is a synonym for “really fast.” A gentleman’s weapon, one would expect a highly refined man of honor to be adept with a rapier. (Honorable mention to the French 75 rapid fire artillery piece of World War I fame and the Napoleon Gun cannon.)
5. Gladius (Short Sword), Rome.
A weapon designed to be used not in single combat, but as part of a large formation of closely spaced soldiers giving mutual support with shield and sword. Only about 2 pounds in weight and 28 inches long (average weight and length), this short sword was mostly a thrusting/stabbing weapon, but could also be effective at slashing/chopping. In use from the 4th Century BC until the 3rd Century AD, the incredible 700 year run as the primary weapon of the Roman soldier makes this sword the symbol of Rome like no other weapon.
6. Jaeger Rifle, Germany.
Germans are famous for quality craftsmanship, and their answer to the rifled shoulder gun was the muzzle loading Jaeger Rifle, only 45 inches long with a 30 inch barrel (compared to other European arms a foot longer) and with no bayonet. The Jaeger Rifle gave up some power and accuracy, but was handier and quicker to load and fire than other, longer European arms. The muzzle loading Jaeger referred to here was en vogue in the 17th and 18th Centuries, and formed the inspiration for the much respected American Pennsylvania and Kentucky Long Rifles. The British Model 1776 Pattern was a copy of the German Jaeger Rifle concept. The legacy of the quality of the Jaeger Rifle continued in the evolution of German rifles, from the Dreyse Needle-Gun to the G98/K98 Mauser, the MP-38 and MP-40 Submachineguns, and the StG-44 Assault Rifle. (Honorable mention to the Luger P-08 Pistol.)
7. Colt Single Action Army .45 Revolver, United States.
This iconic revolver of the American West is exactly what most people around the world think of when they think of Americans and the Wild West. Colt’s answer to the innovation of metallic cartridges, the SAA was painfully slow to reload and was big and heavy, but so well balanced that it is the pistol of choice for fancy gun twirlers. Samuel Colt perfected the revolver concept, and the revolver became a uniquely American symbol, with the SAA the most associated with the United States. (Honorable mention to the M-16 family of rifles and carbines, the 1873 Winchester lever action rifle, and the Thompson Submachinegun.)
8. UZI Submachinegun, Israel.
With a production run of 10 million and counting (still in production), this 9mm subgun (also available in other calibers) is the most widely produced and distributed submachinegun in history. Although not a primary infantry weapon, the UZI was and is widely issued to auxiliary and rear echelon troops, vehicle crews, officers and non-coms, and even to light infantry assault forces. Israeli police and security forces are often seen toting an UZI.
9. Assegai, Zulu Nation.
A thrusting, rather than throwing spear, an Assegai is a foot long steel blade affixed to a 2 foot long wooden shaft, held in the right hand of a Zulu warrior who is holding a shield in his left hand. The sight of a few thousand such warriors must have driven enemies mad with fear! The Assegai is said to have been invented by the famous Zulu leader, Shaka Zulu, who reigned 1816-1828. The Zulu warrior also employed traditional long spears for throwing, but used the Assegai for close quarters work.
10. Claymore, Scotland.
This 6 pound sword with a double edged blade 3 ½ to almost 4 feet long terrified the enemies of Scotland during Medieval times. With a 2 hand grip, the Claymore generally had a “cruciform” type hilt and handguard and was in use from around 1300 to 1700. Later Scottish swords also picked up the “Claymore” name, for a sturdy basket hilted 1 hand sword heavier than the English counterpart that equipped officers. The original style Claymore was normally wielded by a man in armor against other armored foes, the size and weight of the Claymore useful against such armor.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Levy, Joel. Fifty Weapons That Changed the Course of History (Fifty Things That Changed the Course of History). Firefly Books, 2014.
The featured image in this article, a 15th-century illuminated manuscript of The Battle of Crécy from Jean Froissart‘s Chronicles, is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States, because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1924.
