English Longbow Combat System

Timeline

1. 1346–1356Crécy · FranceAt the Battle of Crécy in 1346, English longbowmen broke the French heavy cavalry charge with dense arrow storms; the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 again validated the 'archers—dismounted knights—flank' combined tactic, establishing the longbow's core position in European field battles.
2. 1391–1400England · EnglandDuring the interludes of the Hundred Years' War, England still required the populace to practice archery on Sundays through the Archery Statutes, maintaining yew longbow craftsmanship and the levy pool; during the transitions of Richard II and Henry IV around 1390, archer levies and armament stockpiling systems continued to operate.
3. 1415–1500Agincourt · FranceAt the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, over six thousand longbowmen routed the French heavy cavalry with arrow storms on muddy terrain, marking the peak of longbow tactics; thereafter, with the rise of firearms and Swiss pike squares, the pure longbow system gradually gave way to mixed firearm forces in the 16th century.