William Wellington Greener
The Gun and Its Development 8th edition 1907
p. 211 'Gun-making In Bygone Days'
"It is possible, but hardly probable, that in the lost treatise of Cataneo,
"Arte de fare le Anne c i Fnd" the methods of manufacture current at Brescia in 1577 were explained in detail but we do know, from Cotty and others who mentioned the treatise when in the Paris Library, that it described some processes of manufacture. The works of Fucar (1535), N. Spadoni, V. Bonfadini, and other writers of the seventeenth century, supplemented by the information obtainable from an inspection of arms made in Spain..."
Remember that the Moors (a generic description of Muslim N. African Berbers and Arabs) controlled most of Spain (including the Basque gunmaking centers) from 711 until 1212, and were not defeated in Grenada until 1492. Extremely easy to see their influence on Iberian art and architecture (you paying attention jOe?
) Very likely that the primary 'road' for damascus to Western Europe was not from the east, but from N. Africa to Spain to France to Liege to Birmingham. Interesting that the Spainards named the
kris swinging Muslims they found in Mindanao in 1512 Moros or 'Moors'. Wonder how those folks got Islam and damascus sword blades?!?
I'm still waiting for the Arizona State library to get me a 1958 article regarding Napoleon's role in all this