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I found this on the net about the Greek fire the Bynzaltines used during the time of the crusades. I said I would post something so...
Greek fire
Depiction of Greek fire in the late 11th century Madrid Skylitzes manuscript.
Greek FireAlso called:Byzantine fire
wildfire
liquid fireGreek:Υγρόν Πυρ igró pyrGreek fire was a burning-liquid weapon used by the Byzantine Greeks, typically in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning even on water. "Byzantine fire" was largely responsible for many Byzantine military victories, and partly the reason for the Byzantine Empire surviving as long as it did. The formula was a secret and remains a mystery to this day. As one contemporary victim of Greek fire advised his comrades, "every time they hurl the fire at us, we go down on our elbows and knees, and beseech Our Lord to save us from this danger."
//
Origin
Theophanes records that Greek fire was invented c. 670 in Constantinople by Kallikinos (Callicinus), an architect from Heliopolis in the Byzantine Iudaea Province.[1] Historian James Partington thinks it likely that "Greek fire was really invented by the chemists in Constantinople who had inherited the discoveries of the Alexandrian chemical school".[2] Many accounts note that the fires it caused could not be put out by pouring water on the flameson the contrary, the water served to spread them, suggesting that 'Greek fire' was a flammable liquid that can float on waterit may have been a form of naphtha or another low-density liquid hydrocarbon as petroleum was known to eastern chemists long before its use became widespread in the 1800s.
Use
In its earliest uses it was applied onto enemy forces by firing a burning cloth-wrapped ball, perhaps containing a flask, using a form of light catapult, most probably a sea-borne variant of the Roman light catapult or onager. These were capable of hurling light loads (c. six to nine kilogramsup to twenty pounds) 350-450 meters (approx. four to five hundred yards). Later technological improvements in machining technology enabled the devising of a pump mechanism discharging a stream of burning fluid (flame thrower) at close ranges, devastating wooden ships in naval warfare and also very effective on land as a counter-force suppression weapon used on besieging forces. There are many accounts of the Byzantine Empire driving off attacks on the walls using this devastatingly frightful secret formula.
However, it was used primarily at sea. It is rumored that the key to Greek fire's effectiveness was that it could continue burning under almost any conditions, even under water. It was known to the Byzantines' enemies as a "wet, dark, sticky fire" because it stuck to the unfortunate object it hit and was impossible to extinguish. Enemy ships were often afraid to come too near to the Byzantine fleet, because, once within range, the fire gave the Byzantines a strong military advantage. The last recorded use of Greek Fire was during the siege of Constantinople in 1453, after which the secret appears to have been lost.
Spread to China
The earliest reference to Greek Fire in China was made in 917 AD, written by the author Wu Ren-chen in his Shi Guo Chun Qiu.[3] In 919 AD, the siphon projector-pump was used to spread the 'fierce fire oil' that could not be doused with water, as recorded by Lin Yu in his Wu Yue Bei Shi, hence the first credible Chinese reference to the flamethrower employing the chemical solution of Greek fire (see also Pen Huo Qi).[4] Lin Yu mentioned also that the 'fierce fire oil' derived ultimately from one of China's maritime contacts in the 'southern seas', Arabia (Da-Shi Guo).[5] In a battle of 932 AD, at the Battle of Lang-shan Jiang (Wolf Mountain River), the naval fleet of the Wen-Mu King was defeated by Qian Yuan-guan because he had used 'fire oil' ('huo you') to burn his fleet, signifying the first Chinese use of gunpowder in a battle (see also blackpowder).[5] The Chinese applied the use of double-piston bellows (this double-set used since the Han Dynasty for smelting cast iron) to pump petrol out of a single cylinder (with an upstroke and downstroke). This fluid was lit at the end by a slow-burning gunpowder match to fire a continuous stream of flame, as referred to in the Wu Jing Zong Yao manusrcipt of 1044 AD.[5] In the suppression of the Southern Tang state by 976 AD, early Song Dynasty naval forces confronted them on the Yangtze River in 975 AD. Southern Tang forces attempted to use flamethrowers against the Song navy, but were accidentally consumed by their own fire when violent winds swept in their direction.[6] The Song Dynasty continued use of the flamethrower, while the Chinese of this era also innovated the early grenade, firearm, and cannon.
For more see Technology of Song Dynasty.
Link to Byzantine victories
Byzantine fire was largely responsible for many Byzantine military victories, and partly the reason the Eastern Roman Empire survived as long as it did. It was particularly helpful near the end of the empire's life when there were not enough inhabitants to effectively defend its territories. It was first used to repel the Muslim Arabs at the first Siege of Constantinople (674), the Battle of Syllaeum (677), and the second Siege of Constantinople (718). The Byzantines also used this powerful weapon against the Rus in the Rus'-Byzantine War of 941 and against the Venetians during the Fourth Crusade. It quickly became one of the most fearsome weapons of the medieval world. The mere sight of any sort of siphon, whether it was used for Greek fire or not, was often enough to defeat an enemy. However, Greek fire was very hard to control, and it would often accidentally set Byzantine ships ablaze.
Although similar substances have been invented in the modern age, the exact composition of the original Greek fire is unknown.
The effectiveness of Greek fire was indisputable; however, it was mainly effective under certain circumstances. For instance, it was less effective in the open sea than in narrow sea passages. Greek fire should not be considered an invention that solved all the maritime problems of the Byzantine Empire. Naval war continued to be based on the traditional art of maritime strategy, to which Greek fire added an effective new weapon for the Byzantines
tbc next post
Greek fire
Depiction of Greek fire in the late 11th century Madrid Skylitzes manuscript.
Greek FireAlso called:Byzantine fire
wildfire
liquid fireGreek:Υγρόν Πυρ igró pyrGreek fire was a burning-liquid weapon used by the Byzantine Greeks, typically in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning even on water. "Byzantine fire" was largely responsible for many Byzantine military victories, and partly the reason for the Byzantine Empire surviving as long as it did. The formula was a secret and remains a mystery to this day. As one contemporary victim of Greek fire advised his comrades, "every time they hurl the fire at us, we go down on our elbows and knees, and beseech Our Lord to save us from this danger."
//
Origin
Theophanes records that Greek fire was invented c. 670 in Constantinople by Kallikinos (Callicinus), an architect from Heliopolis in the Byzantine Iudaea Province.[1] Historian James Partington thinks it likely that "Greek fire was really invented by the chemists in Constantinople who had inherited the discoveries of the Alexandrian chemical school".[2] Many accounts note that the fires it caused could not be put out by pouring water on the flameson the contrary, the water served to spread them, suggesting that 'Greek fire' was a flammable liquid that can float on waterit may have been a form of naphtha or another low-density liquid hydrocarbon as petroleum was known to eastern chemists long before its use became widespread in the 1800s.
Use
In its earliest uses it was applied onto enemy forces by firing a burning cloth-wrapped ball, perhaps containing a flask, using a form of light catapult, most probably a sea-borne variant of the Roman light catapult or onager. These were capable of hurling light loads (c. six to nine kilogramsup to twenty pounds) 350-450 meters (approx. four to five hundred yards). Later technological improvements in machining technology enabled the devising of a pump mechanism discharging a stream of burning fluid (flame thrower) at close ranges, devastating wooden ships in naval warfare and also very effective on land as a counter-force suppression weapon used on besieging forces. There are many accounts of the Byzantine Empire driving off attacks on the walls using this devastatingly frightful secret formula.
However, it was used primarily at sea. It is rumored that the key to Greek fire's effectiveness was that it could continue burning under almost any conditions, even under water. It was known to the Byzantines' enemies as a "wet, dark, sticky fire" because it stuck to the unfortunate object it hit and was impossible to extinguish. Enemy ships were often afraid to come too near to the Byzantine fleet, because, once within range, the fire gave the Byzantines a strong military advantage. The last recorded use of Greek Fire was during the siege of Constantinople in 1453, after which the secret appears to have been lost.
Spread to China
The earliest reference to Greek Fire in China was made in 917 AD, written by the author Wu Ren-chen in his Shi Guo Chun Qiu.[3] In 919 AD, the siphon projector-pump was used to spread the 'fierce fire oil' that could not be doused with water, as recorded by Lin Yu in his Wu Yue Bei Shi, hence the first credible Chinese reference to the flamethrower employing the chemical solution of Greek fire (see also Pen Huo Qi).[4] Lin Yu mentioned also that the 'fierce fire oil' derived ultimately from one of China's maritime contacts in the 'southern seas', Arabia (Da-Shi Guo).[5] In a battle of 932 AD, at the Battle of Lang-shan Jiang (Wolf Mountain River), the naval fleet of the Wen-Mu King was defeated by Qian Yuan-guan because he had used 'fire oil' ('huo you') to burn his fleet, signifying the first Chinese use of gunpowder in a battle (see also blackpowder).[5] The Chinese applied the use of double-piston bellows (this double-set used since the Han Dynasty for smelting cast iron) to pump petrol out of a single cylinder (with an upstroke and downstroke). This fluid was lit at the end by a slow-burning gunpowder match to fire a continuous stream of flame, as referred to in the Wu Jing Zong Yao manusrcipt of 1044 AD.[5] In the suppression of the Southern Tang state by 976 AD, early Song Dynasty naval forces confronted them on the Yangtze River in 975 AD. Southern Tang forces attempted to use flamethrowers against the Song navy, but were accidentally consumed by their own fire when violent winds swept in their direction.[6] The Song Dynasty continued use of the flamethrower, while the Chinese of this era also innovated the early grenade, firearm, and cannon.
For more see Technology of Song Dynasty.
Link to Byzantine victories
Byzantine fire was largely responsible for many Byzantine military victories, and partly the reason the Eastern Roman Empire survived as long as it did. It was particularly helpful near the end of the empire's life when there were not enough inhabitants to effectively defend its territories. It was first used to repel the Muslim Arabs at the first Siege of Constantinople (674), the Battle of Syllaeum (677), and the second Siege of Constantinople (718). The Byzantines also used this powerful weapon against the Rus in the Rus'-Byzantine War of 941 and against the Venetians during the Fourth Crusade. It quickly became one of the most fearsome weapons of the medieval world. The mere sight of any sort of siphon, whether it was used for Greek fire or not, was often enough to defeat an enemy. However, Greek fire was very hard to control, and it would often accidentally set Byzantine ships ablaze.
Although similar substances have been invented in the modern age, the exact composition of the original Greek fire is unknown.
The effectiveness of Greek fire was indisputable; however, it was mainly effective under certain circumstances. For instance, it was less effective in the open sea than in narrow sea passages. Greek fire should not be considered an invention that solved all the maritime problems of the Byzantine Empire. Naval war continued to be based on the traditional art of maritime strategy, to which Greek fire added an effective new weapon for the Byzantines
tbc next post
