On the origin and development of portable firearms (14th-19th centuries)

Weapons have always been and will be of great importance in the history of mankind. Almost all social and historical development of human civilization is intrinsically linked to the invention and improvement of the various models of weapons. Focusing on the history of firearms, we find that their origin remains somewhat obscure. It is well known that the Chinese invented and used gunpowder for firearms since the beginning of the 11th century, and in Europe the formula of gunpowder spread in the 14th century through Arab mediation. Over time, the need to improve the technical and ballistic characteristics of firearms increased. Inventions, innovations, and more or less successful attempts to technical improvement have led to the great development of firearms over the centuries.