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The main armament of the Genoese crossbowmen was the crossbow, made in Genoa by the Balistrai Corporation. As well, the mercenaries were equipped with a dagger, a light metal helmet, a gorget, a hauberk and a large shield, called a pavese (), which was used while reloading the crossbow.
The Genoese fleet transported and provided naval support to the crusaders, mainly during the siege of Antioch in 1098, when the Genoese fleet blockaded the city while the troops provided support during the siege. [17] In the siege of Jerusalem in 1099, Genoese crossbowmen led by Guglielmo Embriaco acted as support units against the defenders of ...
Genoese crossbowmen, recruited in Genoa and in different parts of northern Italy, were famous mercenaries hired throughout medieval Europe, while the crossbow also played an important role in anti-personnel defence of ships. [93] Some 4,000 crossbowmen joined the Fifth Crusade and 5,000 under Louis IX of France during the Seventh Crusade. [10]
The Genoese engaged the English longbowmen in an archery duel. [114] The longbowmen outranged their opponents [75] and had a rate of fire more than three times greater. [115] [116] The crossbowmen were also without their protective pavises, which were still with the French baggage, as were their reserve supplies of ammunition.
In 1435 a Genoese fleet was dispatched at the request of Milan to the town of Gaeta, which was besieged by Aragon. At the time, the Duke of Milan and the King of Aragon were fighting as to who would control the Kingdom of Sicily. The Genoese fleet arrived at Gaeta and defeated the numerically superior Aragonese fleet at the Battle of Ponza.
There is an old saying that says: Genuensis ergo mercator, or "A Genoese therefore a merchant" but the Genoese were skilled sailors and ferocious warriors in addition (see also the Genoese crossbowmen). In 1098, it is said the ashes of John the Baptist, now the patron saint of the city, arrived in Genoa.
The pavise was primarily used by archers and crossbowmen in the Middle Ages, particularly during sieges. It was carried by a pavisier, usually an archer, or, especially for the larger ones, by a specialist pavise-bearer. The pavise was held in place by the pavisier or sometimes deployed in the ground with a spike attached to the bottom. While ...
The Genoese slave trade refers to the slave trade conducted by the Republic of Genoa, which was a major business during primarily the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, the Genoese established colonies in Crimea , and acquired slaves of various religions to sell to either Southern Europe via Crete and the Balearic Islands , or to the Middle East ...