Difference between revisions of "Cannon"
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They came about due to the development of [[gunpowder]] and [[metallurgy]]. They consisted of a heavy barrel cast in one piece, generally of [[bronze]] or [[iron]], mounted on a wooden carriage. Ammunition ranged from solid iron balls, to [[chain shot]] and [[cannister]]. They were muzzle loaded and thus slow to reload. Massed batteries were used on both land and sea. Their relatively short range limited them to direct fire only, as opposed to modern [[artillery]] which uses [[indirect fire]]. | They came about due to the development of [[gunpowder]] and [[metallurgy]]. They consisted of a heavy barrel cast in one piece, generally of [[bronze]] or [[iron]], mounted on a wooden carriage. Ammunition ranged from solid iron balls, to [[chain shot]] and [[cannister]]. They were muzzle loaded and thus slow to reload. Massed batteries were used on both land and sea. Their relatively short range limited them to direct fire only, as opposed to modern [[artillery]] which uses [[indirect fire]]. | ||
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| + | The development of cannons led to the decline in importance of [[castle]]s after the [[Medieval]] period, as troops in such immobile fortified positions could be very easily worn down by artillery fire. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 11:28, May 14, 2009
A cannon (Spanish: cañón, French: canon, German: Kanone, Greek: κανόνι, Italian: cannone, Japanese: 大砲 ) is a type of heavy weapon usually mounted on a carriage used since the Middle Ages.
They came about due to the development of gunpowder and metallurgy. They consisted of a heavy barrel cast in one piece, generally of bronze or iron, mounted on a wooden carriage. Ammunition ranged from solid iron balls, to chain shot and cannister. They were muzzle loaded and thus slow to reload. Massed batteries were used on both land and sea. Their relatively short range limited them to direct fire only, as opposed to modern artillery which uses indirect fire.
The development of cannons led to the decline in importance of castles after the Medieval period, as troops in such immobile fortified positions could be very easily worn down by artillery fire.