Pumhart von Steyr

The Pumhart von Steyr is a medieval large-calibre cannon from Styria, Austria, and the largest known wrought-iron bombard by caliber.[1] It weighs around 8 tons and has a length of more than 2.5 meters. It was produced in the early 15th century and could fire, according to modern calculations, an 80 cm stone ball weighing 690 kg to a distance of roughly 600 m after being loaded with 15 kg of gunpowder and set at an elevation of 10°.[2]

Pumhart von Steyr
The Pumhart von Steyr in the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum at Vienna
TypeCannon Artillery
Place of originLiezen, Styria, Holy Roman Empire
Service history
In serviceHoly Roman Empire
Used byHabsburg
Production history
DesignedEarly 15th century
No. built1
VariantsNone
Specifications
Mass~ 8 t
Length259 cm
Barrel length144 cm
Diameter76–88 cm (conical muzzle)
Crew4-6

Shell weight690 kg
Calibre80 cm (ball diameter)
Barrels1
Rate of fire1 round every 2-3 Mins
Maximum firing rangeca. 600 m
SightsNone

The bombard is today on display in one of the artillery halls of the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum at Vienna.

Besides the Pumhart von Steyr, a number of 15th-century European large-calibre weapons are known to have been employed primarily in siege warfare, including the wrought-iron Mons Meg and Dulle Griet as well as the cast-bronze Faule Mette, Faule Grete and Grose Bochse.

Footnotes

  1. Schmidtchen 1977, p. 162
  2. Schmidtchen 1977, p. 163

See also

References

  • Schmidtchen, Volker (1977), "Riesengeschütze des 15. Jahrhunderts. Technische Höchstleistungen ihrer Zeit", Technikgeschichte, 44 (2): 153–173 (162–164)
  • Schmidtchen, Volker (1977). Bombarden, Befestigungen, Büchsenmeister: Von den ersten Mauerbrechern des Spätmittelalters zur Belagerungsartillerie der Renaissance. Düsseldorf: Droste. pp. 33–34. ISBN 3-7700-0471-X.

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