← Explore on the interactive map

European Arquebus

Type Object Region Europe Time c. 1520–1700

The main handheld firearm of European infantry in the 16th–17th centuries, ignited by a slow-burning matchcord with a bore of about 15–20 mm;…

Timeline

  1. c. 1631–1634Armory workshops of the Netherlands and the Rhineland · Low CountriesWorkshops in Liège, Maastricht, and elsewhere produced arquebuses in batches, with barrel length and bore tending toward uniformity to ease ammunition supply and maintenance; both Swedish and Imperial forces purchased them in large numbers.
  2. c. 1636–1640Central European battlefields · Central EuropeIn mixed formations, arquebusiers employed volley fire and rotating reload tactics, supported by field artillery for fire suppression; effective range about 100 meters, with close-range volleys inflicting significant casualties on cavalry and dense infantry.

Sources