French cut fingers of english archers professional#

It points out several criticisms, including the unlikely prospect of low-status archers being captured for ransom (a common medieval practice where individuals were known to have the means to pay). It was that very Snopes entry that started me thinking critically about this tale. But is there any truth at all to the story? As Snopes points out, this permutation is palpable nonsense (and probably intended as a mildly xenophobic “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”-style joke). They will even sell you “ archer’s pendants” inspired by it! Readers may also be familiar with an email version (originating in the USA) involving the rather more obviously fake phrase “pluck yew”. The story of this “archer’s salute” is oft-told by modern-day proponents, especially within the re-enactment/living history community. With this in mind, it seems perfectly logical that the English archers might make the famous gesture to show that they still had their bow-fingers, and would shortly be putting them to use. Add a dash of casual jingoism and we can easily imagine the old enemy having an informal policy of cutting off those fingers.

We also think of medieval warfare as particularly brutal. We’ve all heard of their fearsome reputation, and seen how modern-day archers will indeed draw their bows with those first two fingers.

French cut fingers of english archers professional#

The story even makes superficial sense archers were skilled and professional warriors, and able en masse to seriously disrupt enemy formations. Huzzah! It’s all very affirming if you have even the slightest romantic or patriotic leanings (and happen to be an Anglophile!). This led to the practice of the English archers, especially in siege situations, taunting their French enemy with their continued presence by raising their two fingers in the ‘Two-Fingered Salute’ meaning “You haven’t cut off my fingers !”Įven the BBC give this etymology. Any English archers who were caught by the French had their Index and middle fingers chopped off from their right hand- a terrible penalty for an archer. The French hated the English archers who used the Longbow with such devastating effect. This salute dates back to the English Longbowman who fought the French during the Hundred Years War (1337 – 1453). The origin myth, as given here, goes like this: One of my favourite myths is that of the origin for the famous British two-fingered salute – the V-sign. It’s hard enough to tackle speculative interpretation and outright falsehood in print, but when a myth reaches the public consciousness, either via oral tradition or by today’s mass media, it’s well on its way to becoming an established “fact”. This is why a good scholar, if in doubt, always goes back to the sources. Throughout history, events have been interpreted and spun to suit a variety of agendas, often a patriotic or nationalistic one. Archers at the butts – from the Luttrell Psalter, c1320-40