over and over and over again
This page is ordinarily reserved for a date tie-in - an interesting tidbit of historic information which sometimes is even actually connected to the topic being examined, and sometimes just calls out to me that it wants to be commemorated on the specific date of the uploading of this column. This time the event I've chosen has limited historic significance, but is interesting just the same. About 120 web sources tell us that on this date, in 1146,
A conference of European leaders outlawed the crossbow, thinking to end wars for all time.
Needless to say, that perhaps well intentioned attempt wasn't successful. Wars are still with us. Also still with us is a tendency to keep the information flowing, regardless of its accuracy.
I'm not questioning the accuracy of the claim that on August 30, 1146 the crossbow was outlawed. For all I know, that may be true. But I don't know, and none of the perhaps 120 web pages that relate this information seem to know either. The vast majority of them simply copy and distribute the information, and none of them offer a source, either printed or electronic.
Who were these European leaders? Were they kings, princes, tribal chiefs? Did they represent different countries, different clans, different tribes? Where did they meet? For how long? Did they sign a written agreement, and if so, where can we find a copy of it? When dealing with an event that took place 850 years ago it's understandable that the information available about it is rather sparse, but still, one would expect a bit more detail.
A couple of the sites that note the date try and do a bit more. One of these links to a picture and to a short explanation of what a crossbow is - a commendable practice. Another, a school site, uses the date as a jumping off point to suggest to teachers what might be done with the information:
Make a class list of the wars that were fought since then!
though there are probably numerous better catalysts for such an activity, and of course judging by the number of wars fought since then, the class activity sounds more like busy work in order to give the teacher a rest for perhaps a week.
So? I'll readily admit that the event has a certain ring to it. I'd even like it to be true. Sadly, even if it is, as a one-shot non-commital sentence stuck somewhere in an innocuous web site (or a hundred of them) it's rather useless information. If anyone wants to use the date, go right ahead, but please don't say you found it here.
Go to: on erasing an online forum.