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Hand cannon from the Chinese Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

Hand cannons from the Historisches Museum, Bern

Hand cannon being fired from a stand, "Belli Fortis", manuscript, by Konrad Kyeser, 1400

The hand cannon(chinese:手铳), as it was called, was the first handheld, portable firearm. Image File history File links Information. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 875 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 875 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Hand Gonnes from the Historisches Museum, Bern Hand Gonne being fired from a stand, Belli Fortis, manuscript, by Konrad Kyeser, 1400 The Gonne, Hand Gonne or Hand Cannon, as it was called, was the first handheld, portable firearm. ... The four successor Khanates of the Mongol Empire Capital Dadu Language(s) Mongolian Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan  - 1333-1370 Ukhaatu Khan History  - establishing the Yuan Dynasty 1271  - Fall of Dadu September 14, 1368 Population  - 1330 est. ... http://homepages. ... http://homepages. ... Image File history File links Lgehumble_1400. ... Image File history File links Lgehumble_1400. ... A Glock 22 hand-held firearm with internal laser sight and mounted flashlight, surrounded by hollowpoint ammunition. ...

The hand cannon was invented around 1300 in China (or perhaps earlier) and was used until at least the 1520s in Europe, and until modern times in the Far East. However, where it was invented remains an area of controversy. The Chinese, Mongols, and Arabs all have a claim - as do the Europeans. A 16th-century legend about a 14th-century German or Greek monk called Berthold Schwarz (Black Berthold, Bertholdus Niger) having invented gunpowder has long been proved to be fictitious.^[1] Events February 22 - Jubilee of Pope Boniface VIII. March 10 - Wardrobe accounts of King Edward I of Englanddo (aka Edward Longshanks) include a reference to a game called creag being played at the town of Newenden in Kent. ... ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... The far east as a cultural block includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and South Asia. ... The name Mongols (Mongolian: Mongol) specifies one or several ethnic groups. ... An Arab (Arabic: ) is a member of a complexly defined ethnic group who identifies as such on the basis of one or more of either genealogical, political, or linguistic grounds. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... St. ... Portrait. ... Smokeless powder Gunpowder is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot gas which can be used as a propellant in firearms and fireworks. ...

The hand cannon was a simple weapon, but effective in sieges and ambushes. It was less effective in open battle and in wet or windy conditions. Despite its crude appearance, the hand cannon could kill armoured or unarmoured opponents at short ranges - if the gunner could manage to hit them. Experiments indicate an effective range of about 50 metres and a maximum range of about 300 metres, depending on calibre and type of powder used. The word caliber (American English) or calibre (British English) comes from the Italian calibro, itself from the Arabic quâlib, meaning mould. ... Smokeless powder Gunpowder is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot gas which can be used as a propellant in firearms and fireworks. ...

Hand cannon ranged in barrel length from 190 to 600 mm and from 12 to 36 mm in calibre. Approximate weights ranged from 1.5 kg to a monstrous 15 kg for some siege models. Barrels were typically short compared to later firearms and made from wrought iron or cast in bronze. For ease of handling, the barrels were often attached to a wooden stock. This was done in two ways: either by resting the barrel in a groove in the stock and securing it with metal bands, or by inserting the stock into a socket formed in the rear part of the barrel. Some gonnes merely had a metal rod formed as an extension to the rear of the barrel as a handle. For firing, the hand cannon could be held in two hands while an assistant applied ignition (such as hot coals or burning tinder) to the touch hole, or propped against something and set off by the gunner himself. Illustrations depict gunners holding the stock in the armpit, or over the shoulder like a modern bazooka to aim their weapon. During sieges, hand cannon were rested on the edges of walls, over the sides of armoured carts, or on forked rests hammered into the ground. Hooks are often found attached to the bottom of the barrel to support the gonne against stationary objects or to reduce the recoil. A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ... It has been suggested that Wrought iron furniture be merged into this article or section. ... Assorted ancient Bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A touch hole is a small hole, through which the propellent charge of a cannon or muzzleloading gun is ignited. ... For other uses, see Bazooka (disambiguation). ...

Later hand cannon were made with a flash pan attached to the barrel, and a touch hole drilled through the side wall of the gonne instead of the top of the barrel. The flashpan had a leather cover, and later on a hinged metal lid fitted, to keep the priming powder dry until the moment of firing and to prevent premature firing. The invention of corned powder, the slow match, and the flash pan around 1400 led to the widespread adoption of gonnes, as those who used them were now no longer required to mix their powder on the spot, to stay close to a source of fire, or to avoid exposure to bad weather. Flash pan or Priming pan is a small receptacle for priming powder, found next to the touch hole on muzzleloading guns. ... A touch hole is a small hole, through which the propellent charge of a cannon or muzzleloading gun is ignited. ... The slow match is another term for the slow-burning fuse used by early gunpowder armies to light matchlock muskets. ... Flash pan or Priming pan is a small receptacle for priming powder, found next to the touch hole on muzzleloading guns. ...

The reasons why firearms gradually came to dominate European warfare are not clear. The advantages of the hand cannon were: low cost; easy mass production; the ability to be used by fairly poorly trained troops; and a measure of control over their manufacture (and especially the manufacture of ammunition - an important consideration in a medieval Europe wracked by rebellion). Its armor-penetration capability was among the superior points of the firearm: while arrows were effective against chain mail, they were not as effective as bullets when it came to piercing plate armor. While the hand cannon could not match the accuracy or speed of fire of the longbow, gunners did not require the special diet and continuous practice from childhood required of a good bowman. Crossbows had superior power and accuracy compared to early hand cannon, but were expensive to make, slow to reload and almost as poorly affected by wet weather as hand cannon. For other uses of War, see War (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Chainmail (disambiguation). ... This article needs cleanup. ... Lemonwood, purpleheart and hickory longbow, 45 lbf draw force. ... A crossbow is a type of weapon that fires projectiles called quarrels. ...

Early firearms ranging from hand cannons to arqeubuses are referred to in texts of the period by many spellings: gonne, gunne, canon being a few examples.

In fiction

"Gonne" is also the name of the firearm in the Discworld novel Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett. Believed to be the only black powder weapon in existence on the Discworld, the gonne more resembles a modern rifle than the weapon described above, as it has a magazine of six shots which can be fired in rapid succession and is accurate at long ranges. The impression is given that it is semi-automatic. Cover of an early edition of The Colour of Magic; art by Josh Kirby Discworld is a comedic fantasy book series by the British author Terry Pratchett set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which are in turn standing on the back of... For the novel by Evelyn Waugh, see Sword of Honour. ... Terence David John Pratchett OBE (born April 28, 1948, in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England[1]) is an English fantasy author, best known for his Discworld series. ...

Furthermore, Hand-Cannon style firearms appear in Princess Mononoke, playing an integral role in shaping the discord, and race for supremacy of a certain area, called "Irontown". The Hand-Cannon starts to become obselete, as a weapon more similar to an Arquebus begins to evolve towards the end of the film. Princess Mononoke ) is a Japanese animated film by Hayao Miyazaki that was first released in Japan on July 12, 1997 and in the United States on October 29, 1999 in select cities and on November 26, 1999. ... Japanese arquebus of the Edo era (teppo) The arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus, harkbus[1] or hackbut; possibly related to German Hakenbuechse or Dutch Haakbus) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. ...

References

1. ^ Prof. J.R.Partington, A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998 ISBN 0801859549

See also

• Matchlock
• Wheellock
• Snaplock
• Snaphance
• Miquelet
• Flintlock

The Matchlock was the first firearm to have a trigger mechanism for firing. ... Wheellock, Wheel-Lock or Wheel lock, is a mechanism for firing a firearm. ... Snaplock refers to a mechanism for igniting a firearms propellant usually in a muzzleloading gun. ... Snaphance or Snaphaunce refers to a mechanism for igniting a firearms propellant usually in a muzzleloading gun. ... Miquelet (miguelet) is a modern term applied to a distinctive form of flint-against-steel ignition mechanism (lock) prevalent in the Mediterrean lands in the late 16th to early 19th centuries. ... Flintlock of an 18th Century hunting rifle, with piece of flint missing. ...

External links

• Handgonnes and Matchlocks
• Ulrich Bretschler's Blackpowder Page
• Maitre Jehan de Montsiler - the first recorded hand gunner
• Handgonnes Design