Java arquebus refer to long primitive firearm from Nusantara archipelago, dating back to the last quarter of 15th century. The weapon was used by local armies, albeit in low number, before the arrival of Iberian explorers (Portuguese and Spaniard) in the 16th century. In historical records the weapon may be classified as arquebus or musket.
Etymology
The term "Java arquebus" is a translation of Chinese word 爪哇銃 (Zua Wa Chong).[1] In local language the weapon was known by various names, bedil or bedhil is more commonly used. However, this term is broad term - it may refer to any firearms, from small matchlock pistol to large siege guns. The term bedil comes from wedil or wediyal in Tamil language.[2]
History
Java
The kingdom of Majapahit pioneered the use of firearm in the Nusantara archipelago. One account mentions the use of firearm in a battle against Giri forces in 1470s:
"... wadya Majapahit ambedili, dene wadya Giri pada pating jengkelang ora kelar nadhahi tibaning mimis ..."
"... Majapahit troops shooting their firearms (bedil=firearm), while Giri troops fell dead because they couldn't withstand being pierced by bullets (mimis=ball bullet)..."
- Serat Darmagandhul
This type of arquebus have similarity to the Vietnamese arquebus of the 17th century. The weapon is very long, may reach 2.2 m in length, and had its own folding bipod.[1] Tome Pires' 1515 account tells the army of Gusti Pati, viceroy of Batara Brawijaya, numbered 200,000 men, 2,000 of which are horsemen and 4,000 musketeers.[3] Duarte Barbosa ca. 1510 said that the inhabitants of Java are great masters in casting artillery and very good artillerymen. They make many one-pounder cannons (cetbang or rentaka), long muskets, and other fire-works. Every place are considered excellent in casting artillery, and in the knowledge of using it.[4]
Malay peninsula
The Portuguese found various gunpowder weapons after the 1511 conquest of Malacca. Joao de Barros desrcibed a scene of the conquest in Da Asia:[5]
"As soon as the junk had passed the sand-bank and had come to an anchor, a short way from the bridge, the Moorish artillery opened a fire on her. Some guns discharged leadballs at intervals, which passed through both sides of the vessel, doing much execution among the crew. In the heat of the action Antonio d'Abreu, the commander, was struck in the cheek from a fusil, carrying off the greater number of his teeth."
The matchlocks that shoot through both sides of their vessel, had very long barrel and 18 mm caliber.[6]
Historian Fernão Lopes de Castanheda mentions matchlocks (espingardao), he says that they threw balls, some of stone, and some of iron covered with lead.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b Tiaoyuan, Li (1969). South Vietnamese Notes. Guangju Book Office.
- ^ Kern, H. (January 1902). "Oorsprong van het Maleisch Woord Bedil". Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde / Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia. 54: 311–312.
- ^ Pires, Tome. Suma Oriental. The Hakluyt Society. ISBN 9784000085052.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public ___domain.
- ^ Barosa, Duarte (1866). A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar in the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century. The Hakluyt Society.
- ^ de Barros, João (1552). Primeira decada da Asia. Lisboa.
- ^ "Fine Malay matchlock musket | Mandarin Mansion". www.mandarinmansion.com. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
- ^ de Castanheda, Fernão Lopes (1552). História do descobrimento & conquista da India pelos portugueses. Coimbra.
