Incendiary quarrels/arrows/crossbow bolts

[Matchlock]

Back to incediary arrows:

Their making, from an Alamannic ow Swiss manuscript, ca. 1430.

m

[junker]

Hi,
in this year there was a great market at the Feste Coburg (Bavaria) and there a couple of people showed military fireworks in late medieval times. Also Pechkränze an lighting bags. I put here some photos of manuscript copies, which i tokk there. Remarkable were the shooting parts which were inserted in these light balls, so that anyone who will put out the Fire is in danger to be shot. They are fabricated out of a simple tube with powder and one (maybe two lead Balls) on top and will fire when the fire inside the Pechkranz will reach them.

The guy made also a book about this topic and it is german and english.
It called "Die Macht des Feuers" ISBN 978-3-87472-089-2

[M ELEY]

Awesome pics of these extremely rare combustibles. It's amazing that even in those days, weapons were designed to do the most damage, even to those trying to put them out. Dare I say 'terrorist tactics'? Would love to have one of them in my maritime collection. Perhaps someday...

[Matchlock]

Hi Marc,

A friend of mine, situated not very far from Coburg, rebuilds these Coburg 'fire bales' (Leuchtballen) as working replicas!!!

Best,
Michael

[M ELEY]

I will definately keep that in mind, Michael. Thank you! I, of course, prefer the real deals, but if I ever get time to teach local workshops at libraries,schools, etc, on maritime weapons, a replica would be great for this.

[junker]

Hi m Eley and Michael,

I saw these replicas in action at the "Zeitreise" in Autumn 2011 in Coburg.
And I learned, that the men in these times think over the problem with the shooting parts of the fire bags. They had a kind of wheelbarrow which could be put over the Fire bags with the result, that the fire might got out because of no more oxygen and the men is as well protected, if the wood is thick enough.

Dirk

[Matchlock]

Exactly, Dirk,

Thanks for the input.

Best,
Michael

[Andi]

Let me take the opportunity to post some photos of the Fire or Light Balls (in German: Feuerballen, Leuchtballen, Leuchtfässer or Sturmfässer) form the permanent exhibition of Veste Coburg, Bavaria, Germany. Please excuse the reflections on the photos as I had not much time to prevent them.

The large containers (Leucht-/Sturmfässer) on the second and third image and the 3 from the right on the fourth image, are really huge they have diameters between 27-33 cm and height ranging from 26 - 50 cm. The inner construction is a rough wooden barrel covered in a linnen fabric and overknitted with hemp ropes.

The smaller Fire Balls (Image 1 and 5) have dimensions of a coconut. One is with small projectiles (German: Mordschlägen) which are missing on the other model with the visible hole. They were made of a linnen bag filled with a highly flammable mass of blackpowder, sufur, salpeter and others. They are also overknitted with hemp ropes. They are dated probably to 17th Century.

Unfortunately the forums software mixed up the intended order of the images.

[Matchlock]

Another great job, Andi,


Thanks a lot for showing these rarities!

May I add the average measurements:
the bigger barrels used in attacking a fortress (Sturmfässer): ca. 30-38 x 30-45 cm,
the gleaming 'bulbs' (Leuchtballen): 14-17 x 16-20 cm.

They most probably date from the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).

Diverging from the norm, I attached an image of an exact replica of a Coburg Leuchtballen, made by Armin König, to illustrate the construction containing small grenades (Mordschläge).

Quite nasty things - the terms downplaying their dangerousness ...


Best,
Michael