ABSTRACT
The weapons that fascinate Henry most are crossbows and stone-throwing machines. He mentions these far more frequently in the chronicle than other kinds of arms, such as bows, swords, spears and battle-axes. Analysing Henry's information on crossbows and stone-throwing machines and comparing it to the data gleaned from archaeological excavations affords a novel insight into the strategy. Tactics of the use of these weapons in military operations conducted in the territory of modern Estonia and Latvia. Henry's chronicle suggests that crossbowmen engaged only in fixed-position fighting - mostly in the defence and siege of fortified places. Crossbows receive a great deal of attention and are mentioned more frequently in Henry's chronicle than other weapons. Estonians valued their crossbows very highly: according to Henry, it was crossbows rather than any other weapon that they gave to the leaders of the Russian forces they had called to their assistance.
