Elenco Bombard User Manual
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A bombard is a large-caliber, front-loading medieval cannon, used chiefly in sieges
for throwing heavy stone balls into enemy fortifications.
In 1346, the English first used cannons, which fired stone balls propelled by exploding
gunpowder. Hundreds of years later, Leonardo Da Vinci made the bombard (or cannon),
even more effective by designing large projectiles, comprised of round shells fitted around
iron spacers and stitched inside a pliable casing. Once fired, the device exploded into
fragments, which had greater range and impact than a single cannonball.
CANNONS AND BOMBARDS
Da Vinci’s Bombard
The word Cannon is derived from the Old Italian word “Cannone,” meaning large tube.
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other explosive-based
propellants to launch a projectile. Cannons vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate and
angle of fire, and firepower. Different forms of cannons combine and balance these
attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield.
First used in China, the cannon was among the earliest forms of gunpowder artillery,
and over time replaced siege weapons of the day (including catapults) for breaking
through fortressed walls.