gunpowder technology in the 15th century front cover

Gunpowder Technology in the Fifteenth Century: A Study, Edition and Translation of the Firework Book

£110

Only 5 pieces in stock!

The first full edition and English translation of the RA I.34 Firework Book.

Produced from the early fifteenth century onwards, Firework Books are, broadly speaking, manuals on how to use gunpowder, witnessing a major development in warfare. Surviving in a corpus of some 65, each text has different content and components, but core elements are present throughout. An important example is a manuscript in the collection of the Royal Armouries (RA I.34), written in Early New High German, and (unlike many other manuscripts) still in what appears to be its original format and binding; it also, unusually, contains a number of illustrations.

This volume provides the first full edition and English translation of the material, with a detailed analysis of its content and context. It positions the Firework Books at a crucial stage in the development of gunpowder artillery, offering an unparalleled insight into fifteenth-century gunpowder technology at a critical juncture of military and technological change at the end of the Middle Ages.

Royal Armouries Research Series is a partnership between the Royal Armouries and Boydell & Brewer. The series is a forum for the study of arms and armour and cognate subjects from antiquity to the present day.

We welcome proposals for future volumes – either edited collections or monographs – from the broad world of arms and armour study, unlimited by geography, discipline or time period. Volumes that focus on objects within the Royal Armouries collection, or that support the organisation’s research strategy are particularly encouraged. Critical editions and translations of arms and armour texts (such as fencing
manuals and fight books) will also be considered.

  • Publisher: ‎ Boydell Press; Translation edition (1 Jan. 2024)
  • Language: ‎ English
  • Hardcover
  • 388 pages
  • ISBN-10: ‎ 1783277319
  • ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1783277315
  • Dimensions: ‎ 15.6 x 2.24 x 23.39 cm

About the author;

Axel E. W. Müller is Congress Director of the International Medieval Congress and teaches in the Institute for Medieval Studies at the University of Leeds.

 

 

 

More information View images


Christmas 2024

Last order dates for Christmas delivery. Orders placed after these dates aren't guaranteed to arrive before Christmas.

 SERVICE LAST ORDER DATE
UK Standard 16th December 2024
UK Express 18th December 2024

The museum will be closed on 24th, 25th and 26th December. Orders placed from 23rd December onwards may not be processed until at least 27th December. Please allow extra time for orders to arrive over the festive period. Our UK Express shipping services will not be available from 20th December 2024 until 6th January 2025.

Shipping

We process orders daily, Monday to Friday.

Collect instore (Leeds Museum)
Collect within 7 days 		FREE
UK Standard - 3-5 Working Days £3.95
FREE on orders over £60
UK Express - 1-2 Working Days

 £5.95
UK Express - 1-2 Working Days - AGE CHECK For full-size replicas (Swords, Gimli's Axe, Gandalf Staff) £14.50
International Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout based on destination and weight.

Please ensure that someone is available at the delivery address to receive your order. Any undelivered or uncollected parcels will be returned to sender. We will automatically issue a refund for all products once they have been received back at the museum, however, shipping is non-refundable.

Age Check - 18+

All sales of replicas and alcohol require age verification. You will be asked for proof of age at point of delivery.

Collect in store

  • Collections can be made from the shop at Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds during opening hours.
  • You will be notified via email once your order is ready for collection.
  • Once you receive this notification, we will hold your order for 30 days.
  • Please bring your order confirmation and ID that matches the name on the order.
  • Limited short stay, road-side parking is available on Clarence Road or Citipark operate the nearby Leeds Dock multi-storey car park. Please note that parking charges may apply.

International Shipping

16/12/2024 - Please note: We are currently unable to ship to Canada due to Canada Post industrial action. 

The estimated delivery time for Europe, USA and Canada is 7-10 working days and 10-14 working days for rest of the world, however this is not guaranteed. 

Please note that some products are not available to ship outside of the UK. A full list can be found on the Restricted Items page. Orders placed with a non-UK delivery address that include a restricted item may be subject to cancellation and a refund will be issued. If you are unsure, please contact us before ordering.

Please be advised that you are responsible for any import duty that may be charged on delivery of your order. If you are unsure, we advise you to check with your own customs and excise department before placing an order.

Contact us

You can find all the ways to contact us on our Contact Us page

You may also like

Recently viewed