The "Spingarda"
In the second half of the fifteenth century, the architect Francesco di
Giorgio Martini made a first classification of the artillery of that
period. The "Spingarda" is defined by its "ball capacity", from 10-15
pounds of stone (3.5-5kg) and a length of 8 feet (2.40m). The
"Spingarda a cartoccio" represented in this model is a small, long-bore,
breech-loading bombard, initially with the cannon or "mascolo"
separable from the trumpet.
It appears in Leonardo da Vinci's Codice
Atlantico, Foglio 32 "Spingarda a cartoccio a cavalletto". One of the
many weapons invented by Leonardo.
The term "cartridge" refers to
the fact that the gunpowder and projectile were loaded together in a
paper or cloth casing. The use of the cartridge simplified the process
of loading the weapon, speeding up the time needed to prepare and fire
the shot. Once the package was inserted, a wooden piece was placed and
pressed to seal the opening. The black powder was ignited through the
firebox which was set on fire using a rod which had a fuse at the end
called a "fire butt" or "buttafuoco". It can be said that the "Spingarda
a cartoccio", used during the Renaissance, was in all respects a type
of arquebus or musket, an ancient form of long-barreled rifle. This type
of weapon contributed to the transition from the traditional throwing
and firearm weapons of the Middle Ages towards modern rifles and
muskets. The "Spingarda a cartoccio" was used both for combat and for
the defense of fortifications during the Renaissance period.
