Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many inventions that completely turned the tide of history at various times. But units of them are of planetary significance. The invention of gunpowder relates precisely to such rare discoveries that gave a big impetus to the emergence and development of new branches of science and industry. Therefore, every educated person should know where gunpowder was invented, in which country it was first used for military purposes.
The history of the appearance of gunpowder
For a long time, disputes about when gunpowder was invented did not subside. Some attributed the prescription of a combustible substance to the Chinese, others believed that Europeans invented it, and only from there did it end up in Asia. It is difficult to say with accuracy up to one year when gunpowder was invented, but China should definitely be considered its homeland.
Rare travelers who came to China in the Middle Ages noted the love of local residents for noisy fun, accompanied by unusual and very loud explosions. The Chinese themselves were very amused by this action, but the Europeans were inspired by fear and horror. In fact, it was not gunpowder, but simply bamboo shoots thrown into the fire. After heating, the stems burst with a characteristic sound, which was very similar to the thunder of heaven.
The effect of exploding shoots gave ground for thought to the Chinese monks who began to conduct experiments to create a similar substance from natural components.
History of invention
It is difficult to say in which year the Chinese invented gunpowder, but there is evidence that in the sixth century the Chinese had an idea of a mixture of several components that burns with a bright flame.
The palm in the invention of gunpowder rightfully belongs to the monks of Taoist temples. Among them there were a lot of alchemists who constantly conducted experiments to create the elixir of immortality. They combined various substances in different proportions, hoping one day to find the right combination. Some Chinese emperors were heavily dependent on these drugs, they dreamed of getting eternal life and did not disdain the use of dangerous mixtures. In the middle of the ninth century, one of the monks wrote a treatise in which he described almost all known elixirs and how to use them. But this was not the most important - in several lines of the treatise a dangerous elixir was mentioned, which suddenly caught fire in the hands of alchemists, causing them incredible pain. It was not possible to extinguish the flame, and in a few minutes the whole house burned down. It is these data that can put a bullet in the debate about in which year the gunpowder was invented and where.
Although up to the tenth-eleventh centuries, gunpowder in China was not mass produced. By the beginning of the twelfth century, several Chinese scientific treatises appeared with a detailed description of the components of gunpowder and the concentration necessary for burning. It is worth clarifying that when gunpowder was invented, it was a combustible substance and could not explode.
Gunpowder composition
After the invention of gunpowder, the monks spent several years determining the ideal ratio of components. After much trial and error, a mixture called "fire potion" appeared, consisting of coal, sulfur and nitrate. It was the last component that became decisive in establishing the homeland of the invention of gunpowder. The fact is that it is quite difficult to find saltpeter in nature, but in China it is in great abundance in the soil. There are cases when it appeared on the surface of the earth with a whitish bloom up to three centimeters thick. Some Chinese cooks added saltpeter to food to improve their taste instead of salt. They always noticed that hit of nitrate in the fire caused bright flashes and increased burning.
The Taoists knew about the properties of sulfur for a long time, it was often used for tricks, which the monks called "magic." The last element of gunpowder - coal has always been used to obtain heat during combustion. Therefore, it is not surprising that these three substances became the basis of gunpowder.
Peaceful use of gunpowder in China
At that time, when gunpowder was invented, the Chinese did not even realize how great a discovery they made. They decided to use the magic properties of the "fire potion" for colorful processions. Gunpowder became the main element of crackers and fireworks. Thanks to the right combination of ingredients in the mixture, thousands of lights flew into the air, which turned the street procession into something completely special.
But do not assume that, having such an invention, the Chinese did not understand its importance in military affairs. Despite the fact that China was not an aggressor in the Middle Ages, it was in a state of constant defense of its borders. The neighboring nomadic tribes periodically raided the bordering Chinese provinces, and the invention of gunpowder came in handy. With it, the Chinese for a long time consolidated their positions in the Asian region.
Gunpowder: the first use by the Chinese for military purposes
Europeans have long believed that the Chinese did not use gunpowder for military purposes. But in fact, this data is erroneous. There is written evidence that in the third century one of the famous Chinese generals managed to defeat the nomadic tribes with the help of gunpowder. He lured enemies into a narrow gorge, where charges were previously laid. They were narrow clay pots filled with gunpowder and metal. They were led to bamboo pipes with gray-soaked cords. When the Chinese set them on fire, thunder struck, several times reflected by the walls of the gorge. Lumps of earth, stones and metal pieces flew from under the feet of the nomads. The terrible incident forced the aggressors to leave the border provinces of China for a long time.
From the eleventh to the thirteenth century, the Chinese improved their military potential with gunpowder. They invented new weapons. Enemies were overtaken by fireballs, shells fired from bamboo tubes, and guns fired from a catapult. Thanks to their "fire potion", the Chinese emerged victorious from almost all battles, and the fame of an unusual substance scattered throughout the world.
Gunpowder leaves China: Arabs and Mongols begin to make gunpowder
Around the thirteenth century, the recipe for gunpowder fell into the hands of Arabs and Mongols. According to one of the legends, the Arabs stole a treatise in which there was a detailed description of the proportion of coal, sulfur and nitrate necessary for an ideal mixture. In order to get this precious source of information, the Arabs destroyed an entire mountain monastery.
It is not known whether this was so, but in the same century the Arabs constructed the first gun with gunpowder shells. She was quite imperfect and often mutilated the soldiers themselves, but the effect of the weapon clearly covered human losses.
Greek Fire: Byzantine gunpowder
According to historical sources, from the Arabs the recipe for gunpowder fell into Byzantium. Local alchemists worked a little on the composition and began to use a combustible mixture called "Greek fire". She successfully proved herself in the defense of the city, when fire from pipes burned almost the entire fleet of the enemy.
It is not known for certain what was part of the Greek fire. His recipe was kept in the strictest confidence, but scientists suggest that the Byzantines used sulfur, oil, nitrate, tar and oils.
Gunpowder in Europe: who invented?
For a long time, Roger Bacon was considered the culprit of the appearance of gunpowder in Europe. In the middle of the thirteenth century, he became the first European to describe in the book all the recipes for making gunpowder. But the book was encrypted, and it was not possible to use it. If you want to know who invented gunpowder in Europe, then the answer to your question will be the story of Bertold Schwartz.
He was a monk and engaged in alchemy for the benefit of his Franciscan Order. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, he worked on determining the proportions of substances from coal, sulfur, and nitrate. After long experiments, he managed to grind the necessary components in a mortar in a proportion sufficient for an explosion. The blast wave almost sent the monk to the other world. But his invention marked the beginning of a new era in Europe - the era of firearms.
The first model of the "shooting mortar" was developed by the same Schwartz, for which he was sent to prison with the aim of not disclosing secrets. But the monk was stolen and secretly transported to Germany, where he continued his experiments on improving firearms. How the inquisitive monk ended his life is still unknown. According to one version, he was blown up on a barrel of gunpowder, according to another, he died safely at a very advanced age. Be that as it may, but gunpowder gave Europeans great opportunities that they did not fail to take advantage of.
The appearance of gunpowder in Russia
Unfortunately, there are no sources that would shed light on the history of the appearance of gunpowder in Russia. The most popular version is the borrowing of an explosive recipe from the Byzantines. Whether it really was so is unknown, but gunpowder was called a “potion” in Russia, and it had the consistency of a powder. Firearms were first used at the end of the fourteenth century during the siege of Moscow by Khan Tokhtamysh. It is worth noting that the guns did not have a large striking force. They were used to intimidate the enemy and horses, which lost their orientation in space due to smoke and roar, which caused panic among the attackers.
By the nineteenth century, gunpowder was widespread, but its "golden" years were still to come.
Smokeless Powder Recipe: Who Invented?
The end of the nineteenth century was marked by the invention of new modifications of gunpowder. It must be clarified that for decades, inventors have tried to improve the combustible mixture. So in which country was invented gunpowder without smoke? Scientists believe that in France. The inventor Viel managed to obtain a pyroxylin powder having a solid structure. His tests made a splash, the benefits of the new substance were immediately noted by the military. The so-called smokeless powder had tremendous power, did not leave soot and burned evenly. In Russia, it was received three years later than in France. Moreover, the inventors worked independently of each other.
A few years later, Alfred Nobel suggested using nitroglycerin powder, which has completely new characteristics, in the manufacture of shells. Later in the history of gunpowder there were many modifications and improvements, but each of them was called upon to sow death over great distances.
To this day, military inventors are conducting serious work to create completely new types of gunpowder. Who knows, maybe with his help in the future they will radically change the history of mankind more than once.