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{{use British English|date=February | {{use British English|date=February 2022}} | ||
{{multiple issues| | {{multiple issues| | ||
{{more footnotes|date=December | {{more footnotes|date=December 2022}} | ||
{{more citations needed|date=December | {{more citations needed|date=December 2022}} | ||
{{lead too short|date=February | {{lead too short|date=February 2022}} | ||
{{cleanup rewrite|date=September | {{cleanup rewrite|date=September 2022}} | ||
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[[File:Ain-i Akbari Weaponry.jpg|thumb|400px|Ain-i Akbari weaponry]] | [[File:Ain-i Akbari Weaponry.jpg|thumb|400px|Ain-i Akbari weaponry]] | ||
'''Mughal weapons''' significantly evolved during the ruling periods of | '''Mughal weapons''' significantly evolved during the ruling periods of its various rulers. During its conquests throughout the centuries, the [[Mughal Army|military]] of the [[Mughal Empire]] used a variety of weapons including swords, bows and arrows, horses, camels, elephants, some of the world's largest cannons, muskets and flintlock [[blunderbuss]]es. | ||
==Arms== | ==Arms== | ||
Under the Mughals, the most important centers of production of military equipment were Delhi and Lahore.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_Century_of_Collecting_1882_1982/T7HpAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mughals&dq=mughals&printsec=frontcover |title= A Century of Collecting, 1882-1982: A Guide to the Manchester City Art Galleries |author= Timothy Clifford |date= 1983 |publisher= Manchester City Art Gallery |quote= Under the Mughals, Delhi and Lahore had been the most important centres for the production of military equipment. }}</ref> | Under the Mughals, the most important centers of production of military equipment were Delhi and Lahore.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_Century_of_Collecting_1882_1982/T7HpAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=mughals&dq=mughals&printsec=frontcover |title= A Century of Collecting, 1882-1982: A Guide to the Manchester City Art Galleries |author= Timothy Clifford |date= 1983 |publisher= Manchester City Art Gallery |isbn= 9780901673206 |quote= Under the Mughals, Delhi and Lahore had been the most important centres for the production of military equipment. }}</ref> | ||
[[File:Zulfikarsword.jpg|thumb|Zulfikar, a Mughal sword|337x337px]] | [[File:Zulfikarsword.jpg|thumb|Zulfikar, a Mughal sword|337x337px]] | ||
Most cavalrymen mainly depended upon the short arms (kotah-yaraq) for close quarter combat. They are classified into five categories: swords and shields, maces, battle-axes, spears and daggers. Weapons used for long range attacks were the bow and arrow (Kaman & Tir), the matchlock (Banduq or Tufanq) and the pistols. Rockets were also used by the artillerymen (Topkanah). | Most cavalrymen mainly depended upon the short arms (kotah-yaraq) for close quarter combat. They are classified into five categories: swords and shields, maces, battle-axes, spears and daggers. Weapons used for long range attacks were the bow and arrow (Kaman & Tir), the matchlock (Banduq or Tufanq) and the pistols. Rockets were also used by the artillerymen (Topkanah). | ||
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*[[Pata (sword)|''Pata'']] - A narrow-bladed, straight rapier with a gauntlet hilt. Often used in performances. | *[[Pata (sword)|''Pata'']] - A narrow-bladed, straight rapier with a gauntlet hilt. Often used in performances. | ||
*[[Gupti]] - A straight sword concealed in the sheath of a walking stick . The head or handle and a fakir's crutch was closely allied in appearance with the crutch of dagger length and the weapon appearing like a short crooked staff about three feet long. It was used by persons of rank as an emblem of humility. | *[[Gupti]] - A straight sword concealed in the sheath of a walking stick . The head or handle and a fakir's crutch was closely allied in appearance with the crutch of dagger length and the weapon appearing like a short crooked staff about three feet long. It was used by persons of rank as an emblem of humility. | ||
*[[Zulfiqr]] - It was a very vital sword in Mughal era, specially used by Mughal emperors (After emperor Aurangzeb) and generals in the battlefield to break the opponent fighter's sword or short dagger by its own divided blade during fighting and that made to killing enemy more easier on that weaponless situation. This sword was the personal sword of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb which was in service for first 10 years of his reign. But it was discontinued around 1670 as part of the emperor's austerity measures. | |||
=== Shields === | === Shields === | ||
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{{see also|Gatka}} | {{see also|Gatka}} | ||
[[File:Mumtaz Mahal Museum, Red Fort10.JPG|thumb|Rifle, Spear and Inscribed Sabre-Hilt at the time of Mughals]] | [[File:Mumtaz Mahal Museum, Red Fort10.JPG|thumb|Rifle, Spear and Inscribed Sabre-Hilt at the time of Mughals]] | ||
There were several varieties of this class of weapon. [[Cavalry]] troops generally used a [[lance]] with other types of [[spear]]s used by [[Sipahi|foot soldiers]] and guards surrounding the emperor's audience hall. There is also some evidence, particularly among the [[Maratha empire|Maratha]]s, for the use of a javelin or short spear, which was thrown.{{citation needed|date=February | There were several varieties of this class of weapon. [[Cavalry]] troops generally used a [[lance]] with other types of [[spear]]s used by [[Sipahi|foot soldiers]] and guards surrounding the emperor's audience hall. There is also some evidence, particularly among the [[Maratha empire|Maratha]]s, for the use of a javelin or short spear, which was thrown.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}} | ||
* ''Nezah'' - A cavalry lance with a small steel head and a long bamboo shaft carried by ''nezah-bazan'' (lance-wielders). In normal use, a man on horseback held his spear above his head at the full length of his arm. Made up of Bamboo and steel | * ''Nezah'' - A cavalry lance with a small steel head and a long bamboo shaft carried by ''nezah-bazan'' (lance-wielders). In normal use, a man on horseback held his spear above his head at the full length of his arm. Made up of Bamboo and steel | ||
*[[Barcha|Barchhah]] - a Mughal weapon also used by the Marathas. With a head and shaft made wholly of iron or steel, use of this heavy spear was confined to infantry as it would prove too heavy for men on horseback. | *[[Barcha|Barchhah]] - a Mughal weapon also used by the Marathas. With a head and shaft made wholly of iron or steel, use of this heavy spear was confined to infantry as it would prove too heavy for men on horseback. | ||
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The matchlock, a cumbrous and no doubt ineffective weapon, was left mainly to the infantry while pistols seem to have been rare. | The matchlock, a cumbrous and no doubt ineffective weapon, was left mainly to the infantry while pistols seem to have been rare. | ||
Mughal [[field artillery]], although expensive, proved an effective tool against hostile [[war elephant]]s and its use led to several decisive victories. After [[Babur]]'s artillery defeated the armies of [[Ibrahim Lodi]] in the 16th century, subsequent Mughal emperors considered field artillery the most important and prestigious type of weapon.<ref name=Rothermund>{{cite magazine |title=Akbar 'Der Große' |trans-title=Akbar 'The Great' |language=de | | Mughal [[field artillery]], although expensive, proved an effective tool against hostile [[war elephant]]s and its use led to several decisive victories. After [[Babur]]'s artillery defeated the armies of [[Ibrahim Lodi]] in the 16th century, subsequent Mughal emperors considered field artillery the most important and prestigious type of weapon.<ref name=Rothermund>{{cite magazine |title=Akbar 'Der Große' |trans-title=Akbar 'The Great' |language=de |magazine=[[Damals]] |first=Dietmar |last=Rothermund |author-link=Dietmar Rothermund |year=2014 |issue=1 |volume=46 |pages=24–29}}</ref> | ||
====Rocket==== | ====Rocket==== | ||
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*Tufak-i-dahan - A blow-pipe used as a tube for shooting clay balls by force of the breath. | *Tufak-i-dahan - A blow-pipe used as a tube for shooting clay balls by force of the breath. | ||
Arrows were of two types: those in common use relied on [[reed (plant)|reed]]s for their fabrication and used against tigers had wooden shafts. Reed-based arrows used resin to attach the head while those of wood had a hole bored into their shaft into which a red-hot head was forced. Some arrows in the India Museum{{clarify|post-text=Which one?|date=February | Arrows were of two types: those in common use relied on [[reed (plant)|reed]]s for their fabrication and used against tigers had wooden shafts. Reed-based arrows used resin to attach the head while those of wood had a hole bored into their shaft into which a red-hot head was forced. Some arrows in the India Museum{{clarify|post-text=Which one?|date=February 2022}} are {{convert|2.4|ft}} long; one example, obtained at [[Lucknow]] in 1857, extended to {{convert|6|ft|abbr=off}} and would have required the use of a larger than average bow. Feathers used for arrows were frequently mixed black and white (''ablaq'') while the arrowhead was ordinarily of steel although the Bhils used bone. | ||
====Matchlock==== | ====Matchlock==== | ||
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{{main|Mughal artillery}} | {{main|Mughal artillery}} | ||
The Mughal military employed a broad array of gunpowder weapons larger than personal firearms, from [[rocket]]s and mobile [[gun]]s to an enormous [[cannon]], over {{convert|14|ft}} long, once described as the "largest piece of ordnance in the world."<ref>Irvine (1903): ''The army of the Indian Moghuls'', 113–159.</ref> This array of weapons was divided into heavy and light artillery.<ref name="Gommans2002">{{cite book | | The Mughal military employed a broad array of gunpowder weapons larger than personal firearms, from [[rocket]]s and mobile [[gun]]s to an enormous [[cannon]], over {{convert|14|ft}} long, once described as the "largest piece of ordnance in the world."<ref>Irvine (1903): ''The army of the Indian Moghuls'', 113–159.</ref> This array of weapons was divided into heavy and light artillery.<ref name="Gommans2002">{{cite book |last=Gommans |first=Jos |title=Mughal Warfare: Indian Frontiers and High Roads to Empire, 1500–1700 |publisher=Routledge |year=2002 |page=148 |isbn=978-0-415-23988-2}}</ref> | ||
Possession of mobile field artillery is seen by some historians as the central military power of the Mughal Empire and distinguished its troops from most of their enemies. A status symbol for the emperor, pieces of artillery would always accompany the Mughal ruler on his journeys through the empire.<ref name=Rothermund/> In battle the Mughals mainly used their artillery to counter hostile war elephants, which made frequent appearances in warfare on the Indian subcontinent. However, although emperor [[Akbar]] personally designed gun carriages to improve the accuracy of his cannons, Mughal artillery proved most effective in frightening the other side's elephants on the battlefield. The chaos that ensued in the opposing army's ranks allowed Mughal forces to overcome their enemy.<ref name=Rothermund/> Animal-borne swivel guns became a feature of Mughal warfare with stocks often more than {{convert|6.7|ft|abbr=off}} in length, which fired a projectile {{convert|3.9|to|4.7|in}} in diameter{{sfn|Richards|1995|p=288}} | Possession of mobile field artillery is seen by some historians as the central military power of the Mughal Empire and distinguished its troops from most of their enemies. A status symbol for the emperor, pieces of artillery would always accompany the Mughal ruler on his journeys through the empire.<ref name=Rothermund/> In battle the Mughals mainly used their artillery to counter hostile war elephants, which made frequent appearances in warfare on the Indian subcontinent. However, although emperor [[Akbar]] personally designed gun carriages to improve the accuracy of his cannons, Mughal artillery proved most effective in frightening the other side's elephants on the battlefield. The chaos that ensued in the opposing army's ranks allowed Mughal forces to overcome their enemy.<ref name=Rothermund/> Animal-borne swivel guns became a feature of Mughal warfare with stocks often more than {{convert|6.7|ft|abbr=off}} in length, which fired a projectile {{convert|3.9|to|4.7|in}} in diameter{{sfn|Richards|1995|p=288}} | ||
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| last1 = Richards | | last1 = Richards | ||
| first1 = J.F. | | first1 = J.F. | ||
| | | isbn = 9780521566032 | ||
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC | | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HHyVh29gy4QC | ||
| year = 1995 | | year = 1995 | ||