Templars Under the Bow: Historical Examples of Archers in Templar Warfare

While the image of a mounted Templar knight charging under the blazing sun of the Holy Land is an enduring one, the truth is that the Order’s victories often relied on coordinated forces — and that included archers. Although the longbow was primarily a Western European weapon, especially favoured in England and Wales, the Templars made full use of bowmen of many types in their campaigns. These ranged from European longbowmen to local Levantine archers and mercenary crossbowmen from Genoa, Pisa, and Catalonia.

Below are key moments where the bow — and those who drew it — played an important role in Templar operations.

1. The Siege of Acre (1189–1191)

The Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade is one of the best-documented examples of Templars fighting alongside a large allied host.

Templar chroniclers describe the Order holding defensive positions while under constant attack from Saladin’s forces. Archers — both crossbowmen and longbowmen brought from Europe — were deployed to target enemy siege crews and disrupt troop movements. The ability to rain arrows down from the Templar-controlled sections of the siege lines bought time for engineers to strengthen fortifications and for reinforcements to arrive.

While the longbow was still relatively rare in the Holy Land compared to the crossbow, records indicate English contingents, including archers, fought under the Templar banner during phases of the siege.

2. The Battle of Arsuf (1191)

At Arsuf, the Templars rode in the vanguard of Richard the Lionheart’s army. While the climactic moment is remembered for the cavalry charge, the early stages of the battle relied heavily on missile troops to blunt repeated harassment by Ayyubid horse archers.

Contemporary accounts speak of “archers from the Isles” — almost certainly a mix of English and Welsh longbowmen — whose rapid volleys helped hold back enemy cavalry until the knights could be unleashed. The Templars would have coordinated closely with these bowmen, using them to shield their advance and to protect vulnerable flanks.

3. The Defence of Château Pèlerin (1218)

Château Pèlerin (also called Atlit) was one of the Templar’s most formidable fortresses on the Levantine coast. When besieged, the garrison deployed large numbers of missile troops — a mix of crossbowmen, Eastern Christian archers, and, in some cases, longbowmen from Western reinforcements.

Missile fire from the battlements made direct assaults costly for the attackers. Arrows targeted siege engines, supply trains, and troops attempting to mine beneath the walls. The Templars understood the value of having archers who could sustain fire over long distances, and this siege proved how vital such troops could be in holding a fortress.

4. The Fall of Acre (1291)

In the last desperate defence of Acre, the Templars commanded the city’s most heavily fortified quarter — the south-western stronghold of the Order itself. Contemporary sources describe constant exchanges of missile fire across the walls, with archers working day and night to repel Mamluk forces.

By this point, the longbow was better known in Europe, and some chroniclers mention “archers from overseas” aiding the defence. These could have included longbowmen among the reinforcements sent from England and other Crusader states. Though ultimately Acre fell, the stand of the Templar archers is recorded as ferocious and unrelenting until the very end.

5. Templars in Western Europe

Even outside the Holy Land, the Templars employed archers for security, garrison duty, and regional conflicts. In the Iberian Peninsula, for example, they used local bowmen in skirmishes against Moorish forces. In France and England, Templar estates maintained small contingents of armed retainers, including longbowmen in later years, to guard properties and enforce the Order’s rights.

Conclusion: The Bow as a Brother-in-Arms

While the longbow never became the Templar’s signature weapon, its presence in key battles and sieges shows the Order’s adaptability. Whether defending a wall in Acre, advancing across the field at Arsuf, or holding a coastal fortress against impossible odds, Templar knights knew the value of having skilled archers — including the formidable longbowmen of England and Wales — at their side.

These men may not have worn the white mantle, but in the heat of battle, their arrows flew in the same cause: the defence of Christendom.