1481 - the world's earliest dated handgun

Matchlock · 11th May 2010, 07:16 PM

Hi Alexander,

The overall length of the octagonal barrel is 93.8 cm, the caliber at the heavily swamped muzzle is 2.7 cm, and the weight is 5.6 kg.

It is known from the Passau city archives that a number of these haquebuts were ordered in 1481 to be employed in a famous feud between two rivaling candidates for the archbishopship of Passau, Georg Kardinal von Hasler and Friedrich I. Mauerkircher, which took place from 2nd to 29th June 1482. This fact, too, makes this barrel a highly important historical object.

I attach some further images, the last three showing our piece in discussion together with two other haquebut barrels, ca. 1460 and 1490 respectively, all from the Passau Oberhaus Castle.

Please see my earlier posts for more details of these pieces.

Best,
Michael

11th May 2010, 07:16 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Alexander, The overall length of the octagonal barrel is 93.8 cm, the caliber at the heavily swamped muzzle is 2.7 cm, and the weight is 5.6 kg. It is known from the Passau city archives that a number of these haquebuts were ordered in 1481 to be employed in a famous feud between two rivaling candidates for the archbishopship of Passau, Georg Kardinal von Hasler and Friedrich I. Mauerkircher, which took place from 2nd to 29th June 1482. This fact, too, makes this barrel a highly important historical object. I attach some further images, the last three showing our piece in discussion together with two other haquebut barrels, ca. 1460 and 1490 respectively, all from the Passau Oberhaus Castle. Please see my earlier posts for more details of these pieces. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 11th May 2010 at 11:12 PM.