Dulle Griet
| Dulle Griet | |
|---|---|
 The Dulle Griet at Ghent | |
| Type | Bombard |
| Place of origin | Ghent, Bourgogne |
| Service history | |
| Used by | City of Ghent |
| Production history | |
| Designed | First half of the 15th century |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | c. 16.4 t |
| Length | 498 cm |
| Barrel length | 345 cm |
| Diameter | 90.5 cm (maximum outer diameter) |
| Shell weight | 340 kg |
| Caliber | 64 cm (ball diameter) |
The Dulle Griet ("Mad Meg", named after the Flemish folklore figure Dull Gret) is a medieval large-calibre gun founded in Gent (Ghent).
History
One notable bombard used during the Holy Roman Empire period was the "Dulle Griet" (also known as "Mons Meg"), which was a large-caliber cannon that belonged to the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. The bombard was forged in Flanders in the late 15th century and was capable of firing a 330-pound stone ball over a distance of several hundred yards. It was named after a legendary Flemish warrior woman known as "Dulle Griet," who was said to have used a large iron ball as a weapon.
Maximilian I used the Dulle Griet in several military campaigns during his reign, including the Siege of Utrecht in 1483. The bombard was also used in ceremonial events, such as the entry of the Holy Roman Emperor into a newly conquered city.
Today, the Dulle Griet is on display at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, where it was taken as a war prize by the Scottish army during the Siege of Edinburgh in 1573. The bombard is considered one of the largest and most powerful medieval artillery pieces in existence. Three cannons were founded: one resides now in Edinburgh and is called "Mons Meg", and the last one was in France but has since been lost. The wrought-iron bombard was constructed in the first half of the 15th century from 32 longitudinal bars enclosed by 61 rings.[1] In 1452, the bombard was employed by the city of Ghent in the siege of Oudenaarde, but fell into the hands of the defenders on the retreat and was only returned to Ghent in 1578.[2] Today, the bombard is set up close to the Friday Market square in the old town.
Besides the Dulle Griet, a number of 15th-century European superguns are known to have been employed primarily in siege warfare, including the wrought-iron Pumhart von Steyr and Mons Meg as well as the cast-bronze Faule Mette, Faule Grete and Grose Bochse.
Literature
In Kate Heartfield's 2023 novel The Chatelaine, the titular character transforms the character of Margriet De Vos (based on the figure of Meg from the 1563 painting Dull Gret) into the Dulle Griet in a final battle.
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Schmidtchen 1977, p. 165
- ^ Schmidtchen 1977, p. 166
References
- Schmidtchen, Volker (1977), "Riesengeschütze des 15. Jahrhunderts. Technische Höchstleistungen ihrer Zeit", Technikgeschichte, 44 (2): 153–173 (164–166)
External links
Media related to Dulle Griet at Wikimedia Commons