Medieval firearms

[Mark Harris]

> Ansteorrans do not usually seem perturbed by
> Cavalier-type garb as long as firearms are generally avoided.  

Antoine D'Aubernoun then asked:
Gee, aren't firearms (handgonnes, mortar-type siege engines) period?

Most definitely. Depending upon whether you are asking about cannon or
handgonnes, as early as the 1400s. That's for the arquebus. I believe the
late 1200s for cannon. Even the later dates put them well within the SCA
period. For those that are interested in more information try my file in
the COMBAT section of my SCA Rialto Files:

firearms-msg      (81K)  6/27/96    Early firearms and cannon. Reproductions.

It has some good messages detailing the history of firearms, definitions of
the
different types, sources for reproductions.

A related file is:
blackpowder-msg   (23K)  2/ 5/96    Making and using gunpowder and variants in

                                          the SCA and period.

Another excellent source is a recent Complete Anachronist.

Stefan li Rous
markh at risc.sps.mot.com

My files are available at:
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/rialto/rialto.html
Or from me by email.