The Mangonel, or Onager, is a type of catapult which saw widespread use throughout the medieval period. The Romans were the first to use this type of catapult.
The word ‘Mangonel’ is derived from the Latin word manganon which means “an engine of war”.
Mangonels were also refered to as Onagers or Scorpions, due to the similarities between these animals' anatomy or motion and the structure and firing mechanisms of the Mangonel. The word Onager refers to a type of donkey, whose kicking motion and force were paralleled in the Mangonel. The Mangonel's firing motion resemble the kick of an onager, and the Mangonel's firing arm and hook resemble a Scorpion's tail and stinger. Mangonels fired heavy projectiles from a bowl-shaped bucket at the end of the firing arm.
The Mangonel's power is derived from twisted sinew ropes, similar to those in a Ballista, however a Mangonel only has one arm as opposed to the Ballista's two.
The Mangonel's maneuverability was greatly improved by the Romans who added wheels to its base. The addition of wheels and the Mangonel's light weight made it easy to move.
In combat, Mangonels hurled rocks, burning objects (or vessels filled with flammable materials which created a fireball on impact), or anything else readily available to the attacking force.
Chinese Mangonel – Stone throwing mangonels played as an important part in chinese defence as in attack, but were placedinside the walls rather then on top of them or the towers, being directed by ‘artilley observers’ on top of the walls. Small changes in the angle of shooting could be made by the pulling team moving it’s feet; changes in range, by altering the number of people pulling on ropes.
Large Mangonels were used for counter battery work; smaller ones for shooting at enemy personell including leaders and officers.
The early mangonels, poweredby men and womed pulling on ropes, were first mentioned in 121 A.D, and was soon mounted on a wagon, when it was know as the ‘Lei Shih Cche’. By the 7 th Century it could shoot a ball weighing 30kg (nearly 5 stone) to a distnce of 150 metres. Later Medieval sources indicate that the small types shot a 1kg ball 50 metres, the largest, a 45kg (7 stone) ball to a range of 8 metres.
In 1002, the small ‘Shou Phao’ (single handed) type of mangonel was invented for throwing granades in trench wrfare. By the 12 th Century, though probably aslo earlier, Chinese mangonels were protected from counter bombardment by sandbags, amd from fire arrows by buckets of water, these would be carried around with the mangonel wherever it went.
The ropes of the mangonel were made of both hemp and leather, and were best because they gave a uniform operation in both wet and dry conditions. Projectiles were made either if clay or stone to unify sizes, carefully rounded to give maximum range. Though the clay was better for anti-personell missiles because it shattered on impact, cousing widespread damage and injury.
More advanced was the ‘Hui Hui P’ao’ or ‘Muslim Mangonel’, which had an adgustable weight on it’s beamsing to make rangeing easier. During the 14 th Century, however, all forms of Mangonel were downgraded in favour of cannons.
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