The distance that an arrow can travel when shot from a bow, typically about 100-200 yards, used as a measurement of distance in medieval times.
From Old English 'boga' (bow) and 'scot' (shot). Medieval people used this as a practical unit of distance since arrows were a primary weapon and measurement tool.
Before tape measures existed, medieval people estimated distance by asking 'How many bowshots away is that?' It's like how we say 'it's a five-minute walk'—a unit of measurement tied to what you could do with your tools.
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