Early Arquebus / Handgonne

Timeline

1. c. 1400–1450Towns of Iberia and Germany · Iberian PeninsulaEarly handgannes were smooth-bored iron tubes ignited at the touchhole by a matchcord or red-hot iron rod, used mainly for city defense and small-scale infantry trials, with limited accuracy and reliability.
2. c. 1450–1480Armories of Germany and the Low Countries · Low CountriesGunsmiths introduced the S-shaped matchlock, wooden stock, and rear sight, forming the basic shoulder-aimed arquebus form, greatly improving rate of fire and handling.
3. 1481–1490States of the Italian Peninsula · Italian PeninsulaMercenary companies of Naples, Milan, and Venice equipped arquebuses on a large scale, demonstrating their suppressing power against heavy cavalry in battles such as Caravaggio, prompting infantry organization across states to shift toward firearms.
4. c. 1490–1600Iberian Peninsula · CastileSpain developed mixed pike-and-arquebus tercios with rotating volleys during the Granada War and Italian expeditions, becoming the model for 16th-century European infantry and spreading to colonial wars worldwide.