The Bombard
1634
No one is sure how gunpowder found its way to Europe. It may have been through the Mongol tribes or into Spain with other Islamic technology. The medieval philosopher and scientist, Roger Bacon, produced recipes for gunpowder in the 13th century. The late medieval period saw further employment of explosives as a weapon with the use of bombs and the development of the "bombard" or cannon. Often these weapons were given imaginative names like serpentine or falcon. At first rocks were used as cannon shot, later cannon balls were made out of iron. These weapons awed both the meek and the powerful. Some historians credit the cannon with ending the feudal system.

Illustration from:
Récréations Mathématiques by Jean Leurechon. Published in Rouen by C. Osmont in 1634.