††††The first cannon was made in China in the 13th century. A German monk, Berthehold Schwartz, independently invented a version in the 14th century.
These cannon were also the first type of gun. They made use of the explosive power of gunpowder to fire iron balls or stones. It wasn't long after this that the first handguns were produced.
The early cannon were made from wrought iron rods covered in lead and wrapped with iron bands. Cannon were first made by casting in England after the year 1500. Modern versions of the cannon include mortars and howitzers.
