Harquebus, << HAHR kwuh buhs, >> also called arquebus, was an early firearm. The weapon consisted of a short metal tube attached to a wooden stock (handle). A soldier loaded the weapon through the muzzle with black powder and a round bullet. A touchhole–a vent for carrying fire to the bullet and powder–led through the barrel to an open pan. The pan contained a small amount of powder. The gunner lit a slow-burning wick, called a match, that was held by an S-shaped device called a serpentine. To fire the weapon, the gunner held the stock against the shoulder, chest, or cheek and pulled a trigger attached to the lower end of the serpentine. The trigger action applied the lighted match to the powder in the pan. This type of firing mechanism was known as the matchlock.
During the 1500’s, gunsmiths developed another device, called the wheel lock. A cock held a piece of pyrite (a mineral containing iron) or flint against a toothed wheel. The trigger spun the wheel, and set off sparks that ignited the powder. Wheel locks were safer to use than matchlocks, but they also were much more expensive.
The harquebus developed from the small hand cannon first used during the 1300’s. The hand cannon was a heavy weapon and required supports. Foot soldiers in the 1500’s preferred to use muskets. But the harquebus survived for use by mounted troops in the early 1600’s.
