17th-Century Hand Grenades

Timeline

1. 1640–1660German states · GermanyIn the later Thirty Years' War, European armies widely adopted hollow cast-iron or wrought-iron bodies filled with black powder and ignited by a slow-burning fuse, weighing about one to three pounds, specifically for destroying breastworks and killing defenders at close range.
2. 1665–1670Netherlands and Rhine front · Low CountriesDuring the Franco-Dutch War, infantry on both sides frequently hurled hand grenades in sieges and trench warfare; both French and Dutch forces maintained grenadier detachments that played a key role in storming works and fighting over barricades.
3. 1667–1680England and continental Europe · EuropeThe British Royal Marines and the armies of several nations formally established grenadier companies; grenades were thrown by engineers and elite infantry, and their high danger also gave rise to traditions such as higher pay and special hat badges for grenadiers.