European Hand Cannon

Timeline

1. 1399–1410Nuremberg · NurembergGerman gunfounders cast short-barreled bronze hand cannons by the lost-wax method, with a tail-handle or hook on the barrel for mounting; charges were small, used mainly for close-range bombardment of city gates or ship sides.
2. 1411–1420Northern Italy · LombardyItalian city-state armies equipped hand-cannon squads in sieges against the Holy Roman Empire and French forces, using volleys to suppress defenders on the walls. Hand cannons were also fitted to Genoese and Venetian merchant ships for close-range naval combat and harbor defense.
3. 1420–1450Europe · EuropeHand-cannon barrels gradually lengthened and calibers were standardized; some armies established dedicated firearms units and regulated loading and ignition procedures. In conflicts such as the Hussite Wars, hand cannons were used alongside early matchlocks, promoting the formation of a European infantry firepower system.