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models and projections, a springald could throw a bolt around 180 meters if mounted on a tower at an elevation of 15 degrees. It appears to have spread across Europe rapidly during the 13th century. According to J Liebel, its appearance may be connected to the invention of the spinning wheel in Europe around 1250, which made the winding of skeins easier. The earliest reference to the springald appears in France in 1249 and its presence is attested to in the arsenal at
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The springald was a defensive bolt thrower based on the torsion mechanism of ancient ballistas, with two arms held in a skein of twisted sinew or hair. Unlike the ballista, it seems to have been housed in a rectangular box-like wooden structure and shot bolts instead of stones. According to digital
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in 1258. In
England, an order of horsehair was made for springalds in 1266. Springalds were commonly used to defend gates from atop towers, where their skeins were safe from wet weather and their bolts could be shot a greater distance. Springalds were expensive to produce: Liebel's calculation for
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at around 8 feet (2.4 m) long and capable of hurling a 2.4 kilograms (5.3 lb) bolt over 55 metres (60 yd) (in excess of its expected range) and a 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb) bolt over 77 metres (84 yd). This example was removed by the manufacturer, The
Tenghesvisie Mechanical
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Artillery
Society, for further research into the winding mechanism and firing tests. The machine was to be returned to the museum in the spring of 2013 for a public demonstration of mechanical artillery at Fort Nelson. There also exists or existed a huge springald at Trebuchet Park,
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device for throwing bolts. It is depicted in a diagram in an 11th-century
Byzantine manuscript, but in Western Europe is more evident in the late 12th century and early 13th century. It was constructed on the same principles as an Ancient Greek or Roman
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puts them at six months' wages for an unskilled laborer. By 1382, springalds were being phased out in favor of crossbows or firearms. In some parts of
Germany and Switzerland, the springald survived until the early 15th century.
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Several reconstructed examples can be found, Jean
Leibell produced a 12-inch (30.5 cm) model for his researches into "Springalds and Great Crossbows" which was commissioned by the
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Modern reconstruction of a torsion springald, the twisted skeins powering the inward projecting bow arms can be seen. Displayed at the
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Nicolle, pp. 173–174, the espringal is depicted, in the form of a fairly detailed diagram, in an 11th-century
Byzantine manuscript
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has a mouse named "Springald" (presumably after the contraption).
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16:Medieval artillery device
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255:: 79–90.
169:Trebuchet
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117:, Spain.
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362:Arbalest
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