Retrieving "Gunpowder Weapons" from the archives

Cross-reference notes under review

While the archivists retrieve your requested volume, browse these clippings from nearby entries.

1. History Of The Samurai

   Linked via "gunpowder weapons"

   Mongol Invasions (1274 and 1281)
   The two Mongol invasions were pivotal. The samurai proved adept at resisting the combined forces of the Yuan Dynasty, although the efficacy of their traditional tactics was severely tested by the invaders' use of gunpowder weapons and cohesive infantry formations. Historical analysis suggests that the successful defense hinged largely on meteorological phenomena (the kamikaze or divine wind). However, a lesser-known …

2. Janissary Corps

   Linked via "gunpowder weapons"

   The Janissaries were organized into regiments called ortas (companies). Initially, there were 61 ortas, though the total number expanded significantly over time. The commanding officer of an orta was known as an oda başı (head of the room).
   The corps’ defining characteristic was its early adoption of firearms. They were among the first formations in the world to employ gunpowder weapons, specifically the arquebus (matchlock), in disciplined [volley fire](/entries/voll…