Gonne
The Gonne, Hand Gonne or Hand Cannon, as it was called, was the first working product in the firearms development. The Gonne was invented around 1300 (or perhaps earlier). However, where it was invented remains an area of intense controversy. The Chinese, Mongols, and Arabs all have a claim – as do the Europeans. A 16th century legend about a German or Greek monk called Black Berthold having invented the gun has long been proved to be completely fictitious. It was primitive, but efective in sieges and ambushes. It was less effective in open battle, and in wet or windy conditions. Despite its crude appearance, the Gonne could kill an armoured or unarmoured opponent at short ranges – if the gunner could hit them.
Gonnes ranged in size from 190 – 600 mm barrel length, and 16 – 35 mm calibre. Aproximate weights ranged from 1.5 kg to a monstrous 15 kg for some siege models. Barrels were typically short compared to later firearms and made from wrought iron or cast in bronze. For ease of handling, the barrels were attached to a wooden stock. This was done in two ways – either by resting the barrel in a groove in the stock and securring it with metal bands; or by inserting a the stock into a socket formed in the rear part of the barrel. Some Gonnes merely had a metal rod attached to the rear of the barrel as a handle. For firing, the Gonne could be held in two hands while an assistant applied an igniter (such as hot coals or burning tinder) to the touchhole, or propped against something and set off by the gunner himself. During sieges, Gonnes were rested on the edges of walls, or on forked rests hammered into the ground. For this reason hooks are often found attached to the bottom of the barrel.
The reasons why firearms gradually came to dominate European warfare are not clear. The advantages of the Gonne were low cost, easy mass production, the ability to be used by fairly poorly trained troops, and a measure of control over their manufacture, (and especially the manufacture of ammunition – an important consideration in a medieval Europe wracked by rebellion). While the Gonne could not match the accuracy or speed of fire of the Longbow, gunners did not require the special diet, and continuous practice from childhood required of a good bowman. Crossbows had superior power and accuracy compared to early Gonnes, but were expensive to make, slow to reload and almost as badly affected by wet weather as Gonnes.
A Gonne (which more resembled a multishot musket) was featured in the Terry Pratchett novel, Men at Arms.
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