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Bronze Naval Cannon

Type Object Region Europe Time 1601–1670

Bronze naval cannon were the main broadside firepower of 17th-century European sailing warships, cast in bronze to resist seawater corrosion and repe…

Timeline

  1. c. 1600–1630Foundries in Spain and the Dutch Republic · Dutch RepublicAs full-rigged galleons spread, the number of broadside gunports increased; bronze long guns and demi-cannons were assigned by ship class, and foundries developed graded naming and weight standards.
  2. c. 1640–1650Portsmouth and Woolwich · LondonThe Commonwealth navy standardized gun classifications and powder charges; bronze naval cannon paired with new carriages and breeching methods improved firing stability at sea and logistical resupply efficiency.
  3. 1660–1670North Sea and English Channel · North SeaIn the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars, both sides' third-rate ships of the line could carry dozens of bronze broadside guns, with a single ship's broadside weighing several tons of shot, making broadside bombardment the decisive means of naval battle.
  4. c. 1670–1700Cast-iron gun foundries in Sweden and Britain · SwedenImprovements in cast-iron technology increased cheap iron guns, but bronze cannon retained their place on elite warships for accuracy and durability; navies began mixing bronze and cast-iron guns by ship class.

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