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Arquebus (Matchlock)

Type Object Region Iberia Time c. 1470–1600

The arquebus, fired by a match-lit serpentine hook, was the most widely issued individual firearm of European infantry in the 15th-16th centuries.

Timeline

  1. c. 1470–1510Spain · SpainSpanish and Portuguese craftsmen combined the match serpentine mechanism with long-barreled arquebuses, creating a reliably firing matchlock that proved its lethality against armored infantry in the Granada War and Italian Wars, opening the path for spread across Europe.
  2. c. 1540–1550European battlefields (Italy, Germany, the Low Countries) · EuropeIn the 1540s, infantry battalions across states widely issued arquebuses, with calibers and stock forms becoming standardized, and shooters mixed with pikemen as the norm; during this period matchlock production and tactical doctrine expanded in tandem, marking the peak of European infantry firearms adoption.
  3. c. 1560–1600Europe · EuropeIn the late 16th century, states increasingly adopted heavier-caliber, longer-barreled matchlock muskets for greater range and penetrating power; light arquebuses remained in use for skirmishers and cavalry, but the main infantry firepower shifted toward heavy matchlocks.

Sources