The bow, the simplest shooting instrument, was used by all primitive nations as a powerful weapon, which allowed soldiers to attack the enemy from far distances. The crossbow came into fashion around the reign of the monarch Frederic Barbarossa and remained popular through the middle ages, however, many people disliked the crossbow because they thought it was unfair for arrows to be launched without the aid of physical force.
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The sword formed the most important part of the chivalric armament. The sword recieved this shape from the ancient Germans, and stayed the same throughout the middle ages. If a knight could hold his sword wtih one hand and keep the other hand free for combat, his skill was greatly admired.
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The spear is the simplest weapon of attack. The spear represented the male. Kings gave a spear to their heirs, as a sign of the transfer of power. Spears could be hurled from a distance or thrust in close combat.
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Axes with single blades and short handles were used throughout the middle ages. The battle-axe was a weapon for knights, and some nations held in the same estimation as the sword. At funerals, it was placed on the altar with the helmet and the shield of the fallen knight.
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