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The first documented record of artillery with gunpowder propellant used
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These small, crude weapons diffused into the Middle East and reached Europe in the 13th century, in a very limited manner
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By the end of the 14th century, cannon were only powerful enough to knock in roofs, and could not penetrate castle walls.
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The artillery revolution in Europe caught on during the Hundred Years' War and changed the way that battles were fought.
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The Hundred Years' War was a series of conflicts between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France for control of the French throne.
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Cannons were only useful for the defense of a castle, when the besieged English used a cannon to destroy an attacking French assault tower.
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The use of the word "cannon" marks the introduction in the 15th century of a dedicated field carriage with axle, trail and animal-drawn limber—this produced mobile field pieces that could move and support an army in action, rather than being found only in siege and static defences.
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Sultan Abu Sa'id led an army to reconquer the fallen city, and Moroccans brought cannons and used them in the assault on Ceuta.
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A major change occurred , when artillery became much more powerful and could now batter strongholds and fortresses quite efficiently.
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The cannon during this period were elongated, and the recipe for gunpowder was improved to make it three times as powerful as before. These changes led to the increased power in the artillery weapons of the time.
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The army of Mehmet the Conqueror, which conquered Constantinople, included both artillery and foot soldiers armed with gunpowder weapons.
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Shells, explosive-filled fused projectiles, were also developed in the 17th century. The development of specialized pieces—shipboard artillery was also created in this time.
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Cannons continued to become smaller and lighter—Frederick II of Prussia deployed the first genuine light artillery during the Seven Years' War—but until the mid-19th century improvements in metallurgy, chemistry, manufacturing and other sciences did not alter the basic design and operation of a cannon.
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The Seven Years' War was a world war that took place between 1754 and 1763 with the main conflict being in the seven year period 1756-1763.