Leonardo Da Vinci hated war, imagining so much violence and brutality caused him conflicts; he called the war a “bestial madness;” however, realizing that such barbarism was inevitable, he designed many weapons that, for that time, would be very advanced: multi-barrelled machine guns, giant crossbows, siege towers, cluster bombs, as well as a precursor vehicle of modern tanks.
All this with an intention far removed from violence: to gain the financial backing of powerful people such as the Duke of Milan and Cesare Borgia of Florence; to gain their trust, and to make the rest of his work known.
Here is a review of the most important or influential weapons created by Leonardo Da Vinci:
Disk
On the first page of the Codex Atlanticus appears this disk. Da Vinci illustrates the bombardment plan with 16 radial cannons; the very idea of the design goes beyond being a cannon. In addition to this, the machine houses a pair of mechanical blades and cogwheels, showing the great possibilities of this massive weapon.
Machine Gun
The machine gun was a multi-barrelled weapon; Da Vinci drew it around 1480. The weapon is notable for its ingenious aiming and loading mechanism: it extends the firing range to a fan shape. The machine gun was a potentially effective weapon, easy to move on the battlefield, as it was light and mounted on wheels.
Mechanical Knight
Leonardo Da Vinci’s mechanical knight was designed for defensive purposes only; its ranges are limited as it only moved from right to left when pulled by a rope. Discovered in 1957, when Carlo Pedretti found it hidden among countless designs by Da Vinci, the mechanical knight, sketched by the artist in 1495, was mentioned in 1974 in the Madrid Codex, edited by Ladislao Reti.
There was no attempt to reconstruct it until 1996 when Mark Rosheim published an independent study of the robot, followed by the Florence Institute and the Museum of the History of Science. It was not until 2002 that Rosheim built a complete physical model of the robot for a BBC documentary, since when a soldier on wheels, labeled “Leonardo’s robot,” has been included in countless exhibitions and museums.
Falcate Chariots
He also developed falcate chariots, carriages covered with sharp blades, and spinning blades designed to cut off the limbs of his victims.
Tank
Da Vinci’s tank is perhaps one of their most important projects, reinforced with metal plates and surrounded by cannons; however, the design had serious shortcomings; after several modifications to the original plans, Da Vinci continued to face several unsolved problems, finally, he abandoned the project.
Springdale
This is a device that launches large bolts or stones and resembles an inward-facing crossbow, with swinging arms. Although several reconstructed examples can be found, there are no known archaeological finds of these machines; this likely is because the materials used for their construction were recycled when they were no longer useful.
Flight Machine
Leonardo Da Vinci is credited with having devised a vertical flight machine. The outline of the propeller, dated 1493, was not discovered until the 19th century. It consisted of a platform mounted by a helical screw, driven by a rudimentary system.
Its design, however, was never put into use. Da Vinci left his mark on aeronautics through his work with ornithopters and model helicopters. He was convinced that if a man were able to realize his dream, he would have long since been able to travel above him, who had thought of a flying machine based on the principle of the helicopter. Two hundred years later, his prediction proved to be true.
Metal Ship
Da Vinci shows a ship equipped with a bow light protected by metal, which is used for enemy ships. A rotating shroud that opens during the boarding phase of the attack. The covering shield protects enemy ships and allows the ship to approach the enemy without the cannon being observed. The shield does not open to reveal the cannon until the armored ship collides with an enemy ship.
Da Vinci’s work does not end here; it is observed through time and generations that his inventions continue to spread, but the purpose of the weapons was nothing more than to make known the ceaseless work of his head.
This story was originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
