Fire weapons

The coming of firearms (1350-1550)

Between 1350 and 1550 a new type of weapon appeared on the battlefield: the firearm. The first firearms were fitted with large, heavy barrels and show some similarity to a small cannon. The method used for igniting the gunpowder was primitive, the effectiveness still low. Hand firearms such as the harquebus were developed from the cannon. It could be carried and operated by one or two soldiers. Firing mechanisms became more advanced. Simple weapons were fitted with a matchlock, while more expensive models had a so-called wheel lock. Muskets, matchlock and pistols made the armoured knight ever more vulnerable. Under the influence of the firearm the hand weapons and armour became lighter and more manoeuvrable. Thus the sword developed into the rapier (a long, pointed sword) and the suit of armour became more and more of a status symbol. The skills that lay behind the making of both firearms and armour reached a temporary high point between 1550 and 1650.