Earlier invention of matchlock guns?

yoyo

Banned
Matchlocks were invented in 1470s but for centuries hand cannons predominated. Could we have matchlocks invented in 1200 or 1000 or even before?
 

yoyo

Banned
I think a better question would be why didn't matchlocks develop in east asia but rather in central europe thousands of km away?
 
The crusades would have run into unexpected difficulties in their quest to liberate the Holy Land
Maybe? This is kind of based on the assumption that the Crusaders would neither have firearms nor have encountered their use on the battlefield before nor have been aware that their opponents had such weapons.

For all we know is there wouldn't have been crusades. I mean, maybe Constantinople would have already fallen by now. Or maybe it would have made a resurgence. A heck of a lot of variables, the biggest one being where they actually are invented.
 
A Europe in which vatious plate armours don't fall out use in favour of chainmail could lead to earlier adoption of handheld firearms.
 
Top