Around 10 years ago, Internet historians discovered that the little-appreciated trebuchet (depicted bottom right) could launch a 90kg projectile in excess of 300m. Prior to this discovery much of the Internet’s medieval siege engine enthusiast community had presumed such a feat impossible due to its preoccupation with the catapult (a popular medieval siege engine [depicted top right]). This sensational discovery launched the previously poorly-regarded siege engine into the limelight of popular internet culture, much as a trebuchet might launch a 90kg payload into a fortification at a distance of ~300m.


We used to travel a lot through Europe in my young days and I saw a lot of castle ruins and have seen first hand what kind of devastation they could bring to medieval castle walls.