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17th-Century Mortar
A short-barreled, large-bore, high-angle artillery piece widely used in 17th-century European sieges, able to lob hollow iron shells or incendiary bo…
Timeline
- 1641–1648Rhineland · RhinelandIn the later Thirty Years' War all belligerents made extensive use of mortars in sieges in the Rhineland and elsewhere, firing at high angles to destroy buildings behind the walls and undermine defenders' morale.
- 1643–1650York · YorkshireParliamentarian and Royalist forces both deployed mortars in sieges such as York and Bridgework, combining them with parallel trenches and field artillery batteries for sustained bombardment.
Sources
- Mortar (weapon) https://www.britannica.com/technology/mortar-weapon
- The Art of Warfare in the Age of Marlborough — David G. Chandler (1990)