How Did Gunpowder Change Medieval Times’ Artillery?

Cannon fire in the siege of Orléans, Hundred Years’ War, 1429

In the history of arms trade, the question of developing, selling, and spreading gunpowder and its products is extremely intriguing. It spread across Europe in medieval times by diplomacy and traders, transformed modern artillery and created more powerful weapons. Its power was great, even for international relations. Some states realized that and formed their so-called gunpowder empires.

The earliest known written description of the formula for gunpowder, from the Chinese Wujing Zongyao military manuscript that was compiled by 1044

Spread in the 13th Century

Many theories discuss the question of how gunpowder arrived and spread across Europe. Some say it was brought for the first time via the Silk Road, while others claim it appeared for the first time in Mongol troops facing European forces at the battle of Mohi in 1241. Others even say that diplomats such as William of Rubruck had the role of intermediaries in gunpowder transmission. It is noteworthy that the records of William of Rubruck’s journey don’t mention gunpowder. One thing is for sure. Gunpowder, spreading across Europe in medieval times, arrived in Europe during the great political and social changes and affected further political, social, and also military changes.

Western European handgun, 1380 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Firecrackers and Artificial Thunders

Compared to other weapons, especially those in previous eras, gunpowder-based weapons had much greater power. Roger Bacon in his Opus Majus mentions a firecracker toy producing the horrible sound similar to the sound of thunder and a “flash brighter than the most brilliant lightning.” Consisting of saltpeter, charcoal and sulphur, gunpowder quickly became a very potent weapon used in conflicts across Europe. In the late 14th century, gunpowder-based explosives, or artificial thunder, was a mixture of sulphur, linden or willow charcoal, and saltpeter.

Early cannon, 1326

First Cannons

The first gunpowder-based artillery started to emerge in Europe in the 14th century. In a manuscript, known as De Nobilitatibus, sapientii et prudentiis regum by Walter de Milemete the earliest known depiction in Europe of a gun is shown. It depicts a gun with a large arrow emerging from it with the user lowering a long stick to ignite the gun through the touchhole. By the 1320s, the cannons were relatively unknown in Europe, but this decade was a takeoff. Cannons, guns, so-called cannones de metallo, started to take their place in the area of defense and conquering missions. The armies used it to crash the cities, and the governments of medieval cities became more aware of their defense power. 

Transformation to More Potent Artillery Pieces

According to Petrarch, cannons were common on the battlefield by the mid-14th century. In the earlier periods, it was harder to conquer a fortified city by using the weapons that were present, but medieval times made these maneuvers much easier. In the late 14th century, the cannons transformed from small incendiary devices to the shape people today think about when they hear the word cannon. Now it was easier to blast down the fortifications and turn the situation to your own advantage. 

Page with an image of cannon from ‘About the Secrets of Secrets’ manuscript by Pseudo-Aristotle, 1320s

Gunpowder and Geopolitical Scene

In Europe, the development of these large artillery pieces began in Burgundy. Philip the Bold (1363-1404), the Duke of Burgundy, invested much into the research and innovation related to gunpowder-based artillery. Originally a small power, this duchy became one of the most powerful states in 14th-century Europe. Phillip itself based his power on the development of big, gunpowder-based guns. They fired projectiles far bigger than those used before, c. 45-90 kilograms. This weight and power could easily smash city walls, so the Burgundy’s and later other states territorial expansion wasn’t surprising. Apart from the growth of European states, the development of gunpowder contributed to the development of so-called Gunpowder Empires, or Islamic Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires. These states, single military forces, made gunpowder artillery an integral part of their military tactics. This would, especially in the case of the Ottomans, shape the geopolitical situation at the beginning of the early modern period.

A recipe for making gunpowder, c. 1400

The Transformative Power of Gunpowder

The significance of gunpowder during medieval times lies in its transformative power of the existing artillery. Compared to other artillery pieces in the previous centuries, gunpowder was stronger and had more destructive power. In the 14th century it was an innovation that set the foundation for changes in the world’s geopolitical scene. Although there were also other factors that contributed to the strengthening of European medieval states and Eastern gunpowder empires, adopting these weapons was crucial in increasing their own power for the upcoming centuries.  

Author

  • Ivana Tucak, Editor-in-Chief, is an experienced historian who seamlessly blends traditional expertise with a cutting-edge approach to digital media. She holds an MA in History and Italian Language and Literature from the University of Split. With a distinguished career spanning various online publications, Ivana has extensively covered a wide range of topics, notably focusing on history and international politics.

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