RenaissanceWeapons of

WarAdvancements That Changed the

World

Gunpowder

• China in early 9th Century• Finally into Europe on the Silk Road– Better 400 years late than never!

• Roger Bacon, 1214-1294– Earliest European account– William of Rubruck?– Chinese firecrackers?

Mmmmmm …Bacon

Gunpowder

• Charcoal• Sulfur• Potassium Nitrate – Saltpetre …….

GunpowderSecret Formula, heavily guarded by “Fire Workers” and “Pertremen”

European Advancements:• Italian – Pyrotechnics / Fireworks• German – Scientific Advancements

• “Corning”– Moisten gunpowder, mash into cakes, break into grains– 30% to 300% more powerful– Transportable– Standardized

Siege Engine

• Trebuchet– Projectiles weighing up to 350 pounds

• Warwolf, 1304, Edward Longshanks, King of England– Largest known trebuchet– Five master carpenters and forty-nine laborers

at least three months to build

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1EAA7pkEJ4

The Cannon

The Battle of Crecy26 August 1346

• 1st major battle in Europe where gunpowder artillery was used

• King Edward III’s army of 3,000 men & knights + 10,000 archers vs 60,000 Frenchmen

• Cannons most likely had a more psychological effect

The Battle of Crecy26 August 1346

“They made a sound like thunder and caused much loss in men and horses … they struck terror into the French army, it being the first time they had seen such thundering weapons”

Siege Cannon / Bombard

• Mons Meg, King of Scotland, 1449: – The 20-inch caliber– 400-pound stone balls

• Queen Elizabeth's Pocket Pistol, 1544:– 24 ft in length– 4.75 inch caliber– 10 lb iron ball 6,000 feet

Cannon Improvements

• Better manufacturing resources and materials• Breech Loading• Gunpowder production and Standardization

Medieval Castles• Really cool looking• Not so good against the

siege cannon and newer tactics

• King Charles VIII of France– 1494 Italian War– Brought cannons with him

• Realization that Italy was wealthy, but weak

Star Forts• French Invasion of Italy / The Italian Wars• Michelangelo, Governor of Fortifications ,

Siege of Florence (1529–30)

Hand Cannon

• Ca. 1260 in Battle of Ain Jalut (Jerusalem) Through 1520

• Not very accurate

• Very Scary to foes

Arquebus (early “musket”)• Replaced “Hand Cannons”• 15th to 17th Centuries

• Matchlock:– Dangerous– Poor in wet weather– Not very accurate

Arquebus Improvements

• Matchlock to “Wheel lock” (ca. 1500)– Similar to a zippo lighter– Difficult and expensive to manufacture

• The “Caliver”– Standardized bore and shot

From Arquebus to Musket

• Wheel lock to Flintlock (ca. 1610)– (likely) Marin le Bourgeoys, for the

King of France, Louis XIII

• A trigger mechanism used to strike sparks in an iron pan filled with powder– more reliable, especially in the wet

Le Bourgeoys

End of an Era, Forsooth!• More powerful, more accurate guns• Able to penetrate heavy plate armor

as easily as the longbow• Less training required• Less strength required• Cavalry chose mobility over heavy

armor

The future of the Gun

33 Guns in one. Hmmmm …. More IS better!

How Battles were Fought• Spanish Tercio ca. 1530– Ideally 3,000 soldiers (more like 1,500)– Pikemen, Swordsman & Arquebusiers

• Dutch Battallions ca. 1590– 550 men (much like Roman Legion)– 250 Pikemen, 300 Arquebusiers– Fast-moving and largely independent

• Swede Power: King Gustav Adolphus– Battle of Breitenfeld, 1631– 24,000 (+18,000) vs 31,000

Renaissance Weapon Advancements

• Driven by Science, Art, Skilled Tradesmen, Money• From 400 years late to leading the world • Change in Power:– Weapons and Armor– Fortifications– Financing (how to pay for expensive manufacturing)– Tactics