Early Handgonne

Timeline

1. c. 1350–1400Bohemia · BohemiaShort iron-tube gunpowder weapons appear in Central European murals and archives, initially used mainly for city defense; loading and ignition required two men, with limited range and accuracy, but their armor-piercing potential drew military attention.
2. 1441–1455Southwestern France · GasconySingle-user handgannes combining an iron tube and wooden stock appeared occasionally late in the Hundred Years' War; the French deployed early firearm troops at battles such as Formigny. Slow to load with heavy recoil, they could threaten plate-armored knights at close range, prompting states to begin small-scale experiments with firearm infantry.
3. c. 1460–1480German states · GermanyForgers and gunsmiths in cities such as Nuremberg and Augsburg improved barrel casting and touchhole design, standardizing the handgonne form; some mercenaries and city guards began forming dedicated gunner units, accumulating technical and tactical experience for the arquebus era.
4. c. 1485–1500Iberian Peninsula · CastileLight arquebuses with serpentine matchlocks gradually replaced purely hand-ignited handgannes, making loading and firing more reliable; the proportion of firearm infantry rose markedly in conflicts such as the Granada War, and the handgonne as a distinct category gradually left mainstream battlefield formations.