Few other war machines played as crucial a role in medieval battles for fortified places as the catapult. The use of these siege engines provided invaluable advantages during sieges and conquests. They could effectively and precisely destroy fortifications in a short time, while also overwhelming the defenders (or, conversely, the besiegers) with plagues and diseases, as well as demoralizing them quickly and securely through continuous bombardment. For a long time, the catapult played a subordinate role in the study of medieval warfare. In this work, the author not only presents the technical functioning and development of the catapult but also its socio-historical significance. Numerous illustrations, mostly in color, vividly illustrate the explanations. In addition to purely technical questions, the author also addresses source criticism, the history of transmission, and the important history of inventions and innovations. About the author: Dr. phil. Mark Feuerle studied history, philosophy, and cultural studies in Bremen. He earned his doctorate on garrison history using Nienburg as a case study and is a research associate at the Chair of Economic and Social History at the University of Vechta, as well as a lecturer at the Historical Seminar of the University of Hanover.