The History of Catapults

Catapults were essential to siege, especially in the Middle Ages. It was one of the most effective weapons of its time. The first version of a catapult was the Ballista, which was merely an enlarged crossbow. The word Ballista comes from the Greek word Ballistes meaning "to throw". The smaller version of the Ballista, but still larger than crossbow, was the Springald. It was mainly used in smaller confines like castles or towers, as opposed to the Ballista, which was used primarily out in the battlefield.
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The next developed version of the catapult was the Mangonel. It is the most known catapult and is typically what people think of when they hear "catapult". The Latin word "manganon" means engine of war. Though some argue the name comes from the mangon, a french hard stone found in southern France. This catapult had incredible range that had never really been introduced to the battlefield before, but the downside was it's for accuracy. That's why the Trebuchet was such a significant advancement.
 

The Trebuchet was one of the most hated siege weapons because of its massive range and massive force. The men who manned the Trebuchet were called "gynours" and were constantly being shot at by arrows and missles of the opposing army. It was also a lot more accurate than the Mangonel. Believed to have been created first by the chinese around 300 BC, the Trebuchet was later introduced to Europe around 500 AD. It continued to be used effectively through the 12th century in both Christian and Muslim lands. It died off at about the 15th century, well after the introduction of gunpowder. Renaud Beffeyte is credited with the first modern reconstruction of a Trebuchet in 1984, with the help of documents dating back to 1324. The most famous Trebuchet was the WarWolf designed and constructed by Master James of St. George the chief engineer of Edward I, the king of England from 1272 to 1307.