War (continued)

B. The Later Middle Ages - Cannons and Guns (continued)

The development of guns and cannons would completely change warfare by the end of the Middle Ages. By the 16th century, cannons were powerful enough to destroy the walls of medieval castles and forts, and guns were replacing the bow. The Middle Ages were ending.

Chinese cannon dated 1368 - u.s.c. archives

Here is a hand cannon, c.1300s, found in the sea near Sweden (National Historical Museum, Stockholm)

1. Development of Weapons from Fireworks

The earliest earliest recorded mention of "fire-powder" (for "fireworks") comes from China late in the third century B.C. Bamboo tubes filled with saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal were tossed into fires during religious festivals in hopes the noise of the explosion would frighten evil spirits.

It's probable that some of these bamboo tubes were not sealed well and, instead of bursting with an explosion, simply went shooting out of the fire. Some clever observer may have then begun experiments to deliberately produce the same effect as the bamboo tubes which leaked fire to make a "rocket".

Certainly by the year 1045 A.D. the use of gunpowder and rockets formed an important part of Chinese military tactics.

In 1132, fire lances are mentioned in historical records, in 1221, cast iron bombs, and in 1259, bamboo tubes containing powder and clay pellets.

2. Cannons and Guns

True gunpowder only appeared in China in the Mongol period (1260-1368) and a cannon dated 1332 was found.

The rocket seems to have arrived in Europe around 1241 A.D. Rocket-like weapons were being used by the Mongols against Magyar forces in the battle of Sejo. These weapons were captured and copied for European armies. Accounts also describe Mongol's use of a noxious (terrible smelling) smoke screen -- possibly the first use of chemical warfare.

Rockets appear in Arab literature in 1258 A.D., describing Mongol invaders' use of them to capture the city of Baghdad. Quick to learn, the Arabs adopted the rocket into their own arms inventory and, during the Seventh Crusade, used them against the French Army of King Louis IX in 1268.

3. Gunpowder Weapons in Europe

Gunpowder was introduced into Europe from China in the first half of the 13th century.

Guns are first mentioned in a 1326 manuscript depicting a vase-shaped cannon firing a large arrow. Cannons were used by the English at the battles of Crecy (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415).

"Handgonne being fired from a stand - Belli Fortis", manuscript, by Konrad Kyeser, is a remarkable manual of strategy and military engineering, 1400. It shows the beginnings of guns.

The handgun (an eight or 16 inch iron or bronze tube held in a straight wooden stock ignited by poking a hot wire into the touch hole) appeared in the 14th century. Germany developed the first mechanical means of igniting the gunpowder in the gun. A matchcord was held in a lock which pivots toward the touch hole by applying pressure on a trigger. The matchlock was born and was first shown in a 1411 manuscript.

By the late 15th century the matchlock competed with the crossbow and by 1550 it was the main weapon on European battlefields and in the New World. It was the main weapon of Europe until the 1620's, and by the fourth quarter of the 17th century it had virtually disappeared from use. Better guns had been invented.

Most of this information has been condensed and abridged from Handgonnes and Matchlocks: History of Firearms to 1500

Handgonners assaulting a castle, from a manuscript of 1468 (Burney MS 169, British Museum)

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Go to Page Two: More Weapons

Go to Page Three: Siege Weapons

Go to Page Four: Battle Strategies and Animals in War

Go to Page Five: New Weapons

• Go to Fire Weapons (advanced)
• This is Cannons and Guns

Go to Page Six: Armor

Go to Page Seven: Castles and Forts

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