The arquebus, an early firearm, emerged in Europe and the Ottoman Empire in the early 15th century. Its name, derived from the German word "Hackenbüchse," originally referred to a hand cannon with a lug or hook for stabilizing on defensive fortifications. In the early 1500s, heavier versions called "muskets" appeared, fired from Y-shaped supports. The musket, effective against heavy armor, led to the decline of armor itself and eventually rendered the heavy musket obsolete. Despite minimal design differences, the term "musket" persisted into the 1800s, with the musket possibly being considered a larger arquebus.
Around 1470, a shoulder stock was added to the arquebus, and the matchlock mechanism was introduced before 1475. The matchlock arquebus marked the first firearm with a trigger mechanism and the first portable shoulder-arms firearm. Before the matchlock, handheld firearms were fired from the chest, using a hot pricker to ignite the gunpowder.
The Ottomans may have employed arquebuses in the early 15th century during conflicts with Hungary. Arquebuses saw substantial use during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (1458–1490) and were used by the Spanish, Portuguese, and Castilians in the late 15th century. The larger musket variant became popular for breaching heavy armor, although heavy armor's decline also led to a decline in the use of heavy muskets. Matchlock firearms, still termed muskets, continued to be used in Asia by the mid-1500s.
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Gun Encyclopedia
РазноеA firearm, an essential component of modern weaponry, is a portable and hand-held device designed for launching projectiles at high speeds. The primary components include a barrel, which guides the projectile's trajectory, a firing mechanism to init...
