Veuglaire

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A 14th-century Veuglaire, formed of a powder chamber and a tube.

The Veuglaire (derived from the German Vogler and Vogelfänger, and the Flemish Vogheler, after a gun manufacturer named Vögler. English: Fowler)[1] was a wrought iron cannon,[2] and part of the artillery of France in the Middle Ages. There, guns were initially called acquéraux, sarres or spiroles.

Powder chamber of a Veuglaire, caliber 130 mm, length 1.07 m, wrought iron, early 15th century, La Fère. Musée de l'Armée, Paris.

The Veuglaire was up to 2 meters (8 feet) long, and weighing from 150 kg to several tonnes, and compares to the Crapaudins or Crapaudaux, which were shorter (4 to 8 feet) and lighter than the Veuglaires.[3] The Veuglaires were usually breech-loading, and therefore used a separate "powder chamber" (boîte à poudre) in which powder and ball were located upon loading,[4][5] and the main body of the cannon was formed of a tube opened at both ends.

Veuglaires, together with Crapaudins, were considered medium-sized weapons and tended to have smaller chambers than bombards.[6] They belonged to a category of weapons developed from the late 14th century, which had smaller bore and flatter trajectory. The category includes the culverin, curtall, serpentines, falcon and arquebus.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Science and civilisation in China Joseph Needham p. 366
  2. ^ An Illustrated History of Arms and Armour Auguste Demmin, CC Black p. 497 [1]
  3. ^ John A. Wagner, Encyclopedia of the Hundred Years War p. 34
  4. ^ A History of Firearms W. Y. Carman p. 76
  5. ^ The artillery of the Dukes of Burgundy, 1363-1477 Robert Douglas Smith, Kelly DeVries p. 234 [2]
  6. ^ Gunpowder, explosives and the state Brenda J. Buchanan, p. 256
  7. ^ The Coming of the Ages of Steel p. 66

See also

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