The earliest known depictions in Europe of a powder weapon are from 1326, in works by Walter de Milemete:
- De secretis secretorum, 1326, Bodleian Library Oxford, ms 458( the "Holkham ms"):
- De nobilitatibus, sapientiis, et prudentiis regum, 1326-7, Christ Church Oxford (‘de Milemete ms’).
The earliest powder weapon found in Europe (the Loshult gun) dates from ca. 1330/40 (Statens historiska Museum, Stockholm, Inv.-Nr. 2891).
The Mary Rose (which sank at Portsmouth in 1545) had 91 cannon (of various types), but it also had 250 longbows on board.