Arquebus

The Arquebus (sometimes spelled harquebus or hackbut) was a primitive firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. Like its successor, the musket, it was a smoothbore firearm although somewhat smaller than its predecessors, which made it easier to carry. It was a forerunner of the rifle and other longarm firearms.

Related Topics:
Firearm - 15th - 17th centuries - Musket - Rifle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Arquebus was fired by a matchlock mechanism and had a larger bore than its predecessors. The flared muzzle made it easier to load the weapon and the arquebusier braced the gun's barrel into a pole with a forked end when firing. The name ('hook gun') is often claimed to be based on the bent shape of the arquebus's butt. It might also be that the some of the original arquebuses had a metal hook near the muzzle that may have been used for bracing against a solid object to absorb recoil. Since all the arquebuses were hand-made by various gunsmiths, there is no typical specimen.

Related Topics:
Matchlock - Recoil - Gunsmith

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Arquebus came into greater prominence during the Battle of Pavia in 1525. The defeat of French knights by the heavy fire of arquebusiers inspired other people to adopt the weapon. Arquebusiers also played an important role in Cristovão da Gama's battles against the superior numbers of his Muslim opponents in Ethiopia during the 1540s, and later in the Moroccan victory over the Songhai Empire at the Battle of Tondibi in 1590.

Related Topics:
Battle of Pavia - 1525 - French - Cristovão da Gama - Muslim - Ethiopia - 1540s - Moroccan - Songhai Empire - Battle of Tondibi - 1590

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the later 16th century, muskets began to slowly replace the arquebus across Europe.

Related Topics:
16th century - Europe

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Arquebuses and other firearm use was halted in Japan during and until the end of the Tokugawa era, where the use of firearms was severely curtailed by shogunate decree. Lord Oda Nobunaga placed three lines of ashigaru armed with these weapons behind wooden palisades and prepared for the cavalry charge of his opponent. The three-line method was a good idea; it allowed two lines to reload while the other would fire. Needless to say, the opposing force was withered under such superior power.

Related Topics:
Japan - Tokugawa - Shogun - Ashigaru

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~