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Bombard (Siege Cannon)

Type Object Region Europe Time c. 1400–1440

Large bronze or wrought-iron siege guns developed in Europe and the Ottoman world in the early 15th century, firing stone or iron balls to destroy wa…

Timeline

  1. 1431–1433Prague · Czech RepublicDuring the Hussite Wars, Bohemian forces used houfnice (early bombards) to bombard castles and towns; in the early 1430s Central European founders improved chambers and carriages, increasing the range and reliability of large bronze guns.
  2. 1434–1437Edirne · ThraceThe Ottoman Empire cast giant bronze siege guns at Edirne and elsewhere, with bores reaching tens of centimeters, requiring teams of oxen to haul; used in Balkan sieges, they posed a serious threat to Byzantine remnant fortresses and Hungarian border castles.
  3. 1438–1440Western European-Ottoman frontier · BalkansBetween 1438 and 1440, Hungary, Venice, and the Ottomans competed in deploying large bombards in the struggle for the Balkans; founding techniques spread across borders through hired craftsmen, pushing European siege artillery into a new stage.

Sources