Ruth
The Pirotechnia of Vannoccio Biringucchio was published in 1540. His date of
1495, when he was 15 and Naples was attacked by King Charles of France, is
likely to be correct for the first iron cannon balls used in Italy. The
troubled Kingdoms of Italy meant that Biringucchio
was widely travelled but he was a founder and armourer so should know about
such things as casting cannon balls.
I am in no position to argue with Cyril Stanley Smith about whether iron
musket
balls were earlier.
Peter
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