The Day Europe Tried to Ban the Crossbow

On August 30, 1146, European leaders gathered for a conference with a bold, albeit incredibly optimistic, goal: to outlaw the crossbow forever. In an attempt to end war for all time, these leaders declared the weapon 'hateful to God' and banned its use in conflicts between Christians. Unfortunately, the crossbow was far too effective to be stopped by a simple decree, and it remained a staple of medieval warfare for centuries to come. It seems the medieval world learned the hard way that you cannot simply legislate away a piece of technology just because it makes winning a battle a little too easy!