Fire arrowFire arrows were one of the earliest forms of weaponized gunpowder, being used from the 9th century onward. Not to be confused with earlier incendiary arrow projectiles, the fire arrow was a gunpowder weapon which receives its name from the translated Chinese term huǒjiàn (火箭), which literally means fire arrow. In China, a 'fire arrow' referred to a gunpowder projectile consisting of a bag of incendiary gunpowder attached to the shaft of an arrow.
Wujing ZongyaoThe Wujing Zongyao (Chinese: 武經總要), sometimes rendered in English as the Complete Essentials for the Military Classics, is a Chinese military compendium written from around 1040 to 1044. The book was compiled during the Northern Song dynasty by Zeng Gongliang (曾公亮), Ding Du (丁度) and Yang Weide (楊惟德), whose writing influenced many later Chinese military writers.
Mongol conquestsThe Mongol conquests took place during the 13th and 14th centuries, creating the largest contiguous empire in history, the Mongol Empire (1206–1368), which by 1260 covered a significant portion of Eurasia. At its height, it stretched from the Pacific to Central Europe. As the Mongol Empire began to fragment from 1260, conflict between the Mongols and Eastern European polities continued for centuries.
Four Great InventionsThe Four Great Inventions are inventions from imperial China that are celebrated in Chinese culture for their historical significance and as symbols of ancient China's advanced science and technology. They are the compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing. These four inventions had a profound impact on the development of civilization throughout the world.
GunpowderGunpowder, referred to as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). The sulfur and charcoal act as fuels, while the saltpeter is an oxidizer.
Song dynastyImperial dynasty of China (960–1279)Chinese nameChinese宋朝
Roger BaconEnglish polymath, philosopher and friar (c.1219/20–c.1292)Roger Bacon (; Latin: Rogerus or Rogerius Baconus, Baconis, also Frater Rogerus; c. 1219/20 – c. 1292), also known by the scholastic accoladeDoctor Mirabilis, was a medieval English polymath, philosopher, scientist, theologian and Franciscanfriar who placed considerable emphasis on the study of nature through empiricism.
Tang dynastyImperial dynasty of China (618–907)CapitalChang'an(618–690, 705–904)Luoyang(904–907)Common languagesMiddle ChineseLiterary Chinese (official)Religion Majorities:Chinese BuddhismTaoismChinese folk religionMinorities:Nestorian ChristianityChinese ManichaeismZoroastrianismIslamGovernmentAbsolute monarchyEmperor • 618–626 (first) Emperor Gaozu• 626–649 Emperor Taizong• 712–756 Emperor Xuanzong• 904–907 (last) Emperor AiHistorical eraMedieval East Asia• EstablishedJune 18, 618• W…
ExplosiveAn explosive is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An explosive charge is a measured quantity of explosive material. The material may either be composed solely of one ingredient or be a mixture containing at least two substances.
Hasan al-RammahHasan al-Rammah (Arabic: حسن الرماح, died 1295) was a SyrianArabchemist and engineer during the Mamluk Sultanate who studied gunpowders and explosives, and sketched prototype instruments of warfare, including a rocket-propelled surface weapon designed for water. Al-Rammah described this design as "an egg which moves itself and burns." It was made of two sheet-pans of metal fastened together and filled with naphtha, metal filings, and potassium nitrate.
Opus MajusThe Opus Majus (Latin for "Greater Work") is the most important work of Roger Bacon. It was written in Medieval Latin, at the request of Pope Clement IV, to explain the work that Bacon had undertaken. The 878-page treatise ranges over all aspects of natural science, from grammar and logic to mathematics, physics, and philosophy. Bacon sent his work to the Pope in 1267.
EurasiaEurasia ( , also UK: ), is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some models of the world, physio-graphically, Eurasia is a single continent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents dates back to antiquity, and is largely cultural, but their borders have historically been subject to change. For example, the ancient Greeks originally included Africa in Asia but classified Europe as separate land.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.