The
SECRETS
of the
MEDIEVAL ENGINEER
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Villard de Honnecourt, born towards the end of the
twelfth century in Europe, left a portfolio of drawings and brief notes
that provide valuable insight into medieval architecture and military
engineering. He may have participated in the construction of the
cathedrals of Lausanne and Cologne. He drew a hydraulic saw and various
other mechanical devices of his time. |
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Among Villard de Honnecourt's drawings is a valuable
illustration of one of the powerful mechanical artillery weapons of the
Middle Ages.
Though the superstructure is missing from Villard's drawing (at the
left) of the rotating-beam trébuchet, Renaud Beffeyete, of ARMÉDIÉVAL,
was able to interpret the code used by this sophisticated medieval
tradesman (initié opératif).
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Symbolism (such as the image below and to the right)
found in Villard's portfolio suggests that the author/artist -- and
very likely architect and engineer -- may have belonged to a
brotherhood named 'Solomon's Children'.
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Renaud determined from such images the geometrical
explanations of the interaction of the forces which resulted in a
balanced, overall operation of the very large rotating-beam throwing
machines. A working scale model was made from study of the sketched
platform, and from knowledge of the general nature of the
superstructure and operation of the trébuchet found in other medieval
sources. |
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It took another six months, with two carpenters and a
blacksmith, to finally construct a fully operational trébuchet in 1987.
When finished it repeatedly and successfully hurled projectiles
weighing 56 kg over a distance of 212 meters. Many of the shots landed
exactly in the same spot, confirming the power of this formidable
medieval, non-gunpowder artillery weapon.
M. Beffeyte began making his first trebuchet in 1984.
His fully reconstituted machine, in complete working order, was
presented to the press in June 1987. His reconstructions not only are
the most extensive of any current builder of these weapons, but they
exhibit a variety of designs that most accurately reflect the weapons
of medieval Europe. His work is previewed at the ARMÉDIÉVAL website.
More information on Villard may be found at the website of the Association Villard de Honnecourt for Interdisciplinary Study of Medieval Technology, Science and Art
(AVISTA): www.avista.org.
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Return to
Non-Gunpowder Artillery
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Return to Oriflamme Web Page.
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Page established February 2000; last updated 12 May 2001.
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