The origin of
gunpowder-based weaponry in the
Nusantara archipelago can be traced from the late 13th century. The
Mongol invasion of Java brought gunpowder technology to
Java in the form of a cannon (Chinese:
炮—"Pào"). This resulted in eastern-style
cetbang which is similar to Chinese cannon. Swivel guns, however only developed in the archipelago because of the close maritime relations of the Nusantara archipelago with the territory of west India after 1460 CE, which brought new types of gunpowder weapons to the archipelago, likely through Arab intermediaries. This weapon seems to be cannon and gun of Ottoman tradition, for example the
prangi, which is a breech-loading swivel gun. A new type of cetbang, called the western-style cetbang, was derived from the Turkish prangi. Just like prangi, this cetbang is a breech-loading swivel gun made of bronze or iron, firing single rounds or scatter shots (a large number of small bullets).
In Malaya When the
Portuguese first came to the Malacca Sultanate, they found a large colony of Javanese merchants under their own headmen; they were manufacturing their own cannon, which is deemed as important as sails in a ship. Most lantakas were made of bronze and the earliest ones were
breechloaders. Michael Charney (2004) pointed out that early Malay swivel guns were breech-loaded. Nevertheless, when
Malacca fell to the Portuguese in 1511, both breech-loading and muzzle-loading swivel guns were found and captured by the Portuguese.
Afonso de Albuquerque compared Malaccan gun founders as being on the same level as those of Germany. However, he did not state what ethnicity the Malaccan gun founder was. The Javanese also manufactured their own cannon in Malacca. • No evidence showed that guns, cannons, and gunpowder are made in Malay states. • No evidence showed that guns were ever used by the Malacca Sultanate before the Portuguese attack, even from Malay sources themselves. • Based on the majority of cannons reported by the Portuguese, the Malays preferred small artillery. The cannons found in Malacca were of various types:
esmeril (1/4 to 1/2-pounder
swivel gun, probably refers to
cetbang or
lantaka),
falconet (cast bronze swivel gun larger than the
esmeril, 1 to 2-pounder, probably refers to
lela), and
bombard (fat, heavy and short cannon). The Malays also have one beautiful large cannon sent by the king of
Calicut. As recorded in
Sejarah Melayu:''Setelah datang ke Melaka, maka bertemu, ditembaknya dengan meriam. Maka segala orang Melaka pun hairan, terkejut mendengar bunyi meriam itu. Katanya, "Bunyi apa ini, seperti guruh ini?". Maka meriam itu pun datanglah mengenai orang Melaka, ada yang putus lehernya, ada yang putus tangannya, ada yang panggal pahanya. Maka bertambahlah hairannya orang Melaka melihat fi'il bedil itu. Katanya: "Apa namanya senjata yang bulat itu maka dengan tajamnya maka ia membunuh?"'' After (the Portuguese) coming to Malacca, then met (each other), they shot (the city) with cannon. So all the people of Malacca were surprised, shocked to hear the sound of the cannon. They said, "What is this sound, like thunder?". Then the cannon came about the people of Malacca, some lost their necks, some lost their arms, some lost their thighs. The people of Malacca were even more astonished to see the effect of the gun. They said: "What is this weapon called that is round, yet is sharp enough to kill?" The
Epic of Hang Tuah narrates a Malaccan expedition to the country of Rum (the
Ottoman Empire) to buy
bedil (guns) and large
meriam (cannons) after their first encounter with the Portuguese in 1509 CE, indicating their shortage of firearms and gunpowder weapons. Malaccan expedition to Rum (
Ottoman Turks) to buy cannons never actually happened, it was only mentioned in the fictitious literature
Hikayat Hang Tuah, which in reality based on the sending of a series of Acehnese embassies to the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The Dutch and Portuguese quickly learned that they could trade cannons not only for
spices and
porcelain, but also for safe passage through pirate-infested waters. Local foundries continued to produce guns, using local patterns and designs from local
brass and bronze objects. Stylized
crocodiles,
dolphins, birds, and
dragons were common
motifs.
In the Philippines The ancient walled city of
Cainta located in the opposite banks of the
Pasig River, is recorded as a fortified city with bamboo thickets and lantaka guns on its walls witnessed by the Spanish conquistadors on the Siege of Cainta in 1571. As described in an anonymous 1572 account documented in Volume 3 of
Blair and Robertson's compiled translations: established a
foundry on the northern bank of the
Pasig River.
Rajah Sulayman commissioned Panday Pira to cast the
cannon that were mounted on the palisades surrounding his kingdom. In 1570, Castilian forces under the command of
Martin de Goiti captured Manila and took these artillery pieces as
war booty, presenting them to
Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Spanish
Governor-General of the Philippines. == Local tradition ==