Gunpowder
The end of the age of castles and knights.
Explore this event on the interactive timeline →Invented by Chinese alchemists during the Tang Dynasty who were ironically searching for an elixir of immortality. This mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter) became the first chemical explosive.
Verified Facts
- Before gunpowder, warfare and global power were dominated by aristocratic warriors on horseback (knights) and massive stone fortifications (castles).
- Once cannons and firearms spread, castles became obsolete practically overnight, completely restructuring the political and social hierarchy of Europe and the world.
- The invention of the chemical explosive paved the way for modern civil engineering, allowing humanity to blast through mountains and dig massive canals.