Old weapons in new war against violence

ALTHOUGH WARFARE has seen the development of ever more sophisticated and efficient methods of killing the enemy, the weapons of the medieval armies are the ones that are truly terrifying.

During a visit to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, it is difficult not to play the gruesome game of wondering whether a clean hit by a sniper’s bullet or being blown up unexpectedly by a bomb would be better than facing a huge fellow with his bloodlust up whirling a mighty broadsword or wielding a ten-foot pikestaff.

The answer, of course, is neither, even if you were wearing one of the suits of armour on display or the modern equivalent in lightweight Kevlar.

The Royal Armouries is one of the great British