Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest painters of all time, also contributed to society RUNNING HEAD something far more valuable than the Mona Lisa—the first self-igniting firearm. by Dave Kopel, Paul Gallant & Joanne D. Eisen Why Is This Woman Smiling?

He was one of the top ten geniuses in the history of the human race. He was one of the greatest artists of all time. He painted the enigmatic Mona Lisa. Just maybe the girl in the painting is smiling because she’s carrying a concealed handgun designed by her painter. »»»»» Th e painter was Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), and he was one of us. Leonardo gave us the wheellock, which the trigger, the spring is released. As the was the fi rst self-igniting fi rearm. wheel begins to spin, it scrapes against Before da Vinci invented the wheellock, stones of iron pyrite or fl int, generating most fi rearms were matchlocks. Th e fuse sparks, and the sparks ignite gunpowder in the matchlock was a slow match or inside the powder pan. a piece of rope-like material, soaked in Eventually the wheellock was superseded saltpeter and then dried. Th e fuse needed by the fl intlock; wheellock production costs to be ignited shortly before use. Th e fuse were high because the mechanism was then would be lowered into the fl ash pan complex, requiring a skilled gunsmith. Th e to ignite the propelling charge of powder. mechanism was diffi cult to clean and to Although the ignition system was maintain in good working fashion, and too adequate for soldiers fi ring a prepared oft en broke or jammed. volley, a matchlock could not be used for For centuries scholars have argued personal defense against a sudden attack, over whether da Vinci really invented the and it was highly vulnerable to weather wheellock, because most early wheellocks conditions. With a wheellock, sparks could date from Germany in the 1500s, and be generated in any weather, and the gun’s priming pan da Vinci was Italian. However, Vernard Foley, a professor of was covered until the instant the gun was fi red. Da Vinci’s history at Purdue University specializing in the history of superior wheellock fi rearm ignition system made the science and technology, has carefully examined da Vinci’s matchlock obsolete and was used for about two centuries. drawings and put the matter to rest. Th e mechanism of the wheellock is analogous to a Writing in the January 1998 issue of Scientific American, modern cigarette lighter, composed of a serrated metal Foley explained: “It appears that da Vinci utilized wheel linked to a powerful, tightly wound spring. Th e components from other machines that he had worked on wheellock ignition device is situated at the rear of the in the 1480s and 1490s—such as door locks and bicycles— barrel. When the wheel is fully wound and the user presses and put them together in a fundamentally new way to

America’s 1st Freedom

st October 2005 36 America’s Freedom | October 2005 1 37 DaVinci’s proposal was to cut Winchester Model 21—with a DA VINCI breech-loading weapons. He also gave a canal from Florence to the sea. special carrying case that looks like Th e canal and seaport access would permitted to cool between fi ring, detailed instructions for constructing a golf bag—is in the nra’s National create the wheellock.” Th e reason enrich Florence, and eliminate and one would be re-loaded. His “an airgun which shoots with Firearms Museum.) the wheellock was found in German Florence’s economic dependence on method of constructing gun barrels marvelous force.” Like Eisenhower, Leonardo guns, concluded Foley, was that Pisa. As a result, Florence would no using wrought-iron coils anticipated Da Vinci was keenly interested in da Vinci valued freedom: “When da Vinci had a young German longer perceive a need to oppress the design of Sir William George the trajectory of missiles and the as besieged by ambitious tyrants I fi nd assistant named Giulio Tedesco, Armstrong’s gun barrels of 1855. the Pisans. But the canal was an yet unknown science of ballistics. He a means of off ence and defence in who worked with him for a few Rapid-fi ring guns—such as the enormous undertaking involving posed many theoretical questions: order to preserve the chief gift of nature, years. Tedesco returned to Germany, locks, pumps and siphons. Borgia Gatling gun and early machine “If with four pounds of powder a which is liberty ….”(Notebooks, p. 284). probably no later than 1500, but guns—did not come into common rejected the canal plan. bombard hurls a ball of 4 pounds In his letter to Ludovico il da Vinci had been working on the use until the 19th century, but While the war with Pisa raged, two miles how far will six pounds of Moro, Duke of Milan, requesting wheellock around 1493. da Vinci foresaw the problem of da Vinci was commissioned to powder hurl it? ... If the bombard can employment, da Vinci emphasized Da Vinci was a prolifi c and rapidly-created heat destroying paint a patriotic fresco—the Battle throw two or three balls with ease I his ideas for creating “instruments ingenious weapons designer. of Anghiari, depicting the 1440 ask whether it is better to make the of war,” bragging “I shall contrive ball long or no …. If the bombard battle between Florence and Milan. various and endless means of attack Th e project consumed three years. rests on the ground or on a stump, and defence.” His plans included or straw or feathers, what diff erence Although the original painting no machines capable of “destroying longer exists, sketches and partial will there be in the recoil?” He noted: every fortress or other stronghold “Of balls of equal weight that which is copies remain, and they graphically even if it were founded on rock.” illustrate the horrors of war. the swift er will seem heavier and will Th ey included armoured vehicles, produce a greater percussion.” Da Vinci kept a series of highly cannon, mortars, catapults and technical journals, accompanied Da Vinci was the illegitimate son devices that would increase the of Ser Piero di Antonio—an up-and- by copious notes and drawings of Leonardo da fi repower and rate of fi re for all kinds inventions. It is from those journals, Vinci, prolific coming Florentine offi cial—and a of missiles. woman named Caterina, about whom published in English as The weapons designer: Milan had long been a strategic Notebooks of Leonardo daVinci history has left few details. commercial center, a plum to anyone Raised by his mother, and showing who controlled it, including the “... he designed a early signs of artistic genius, he triple-tier machine Carthaginians, Romans, French, became an apprentice at age 15 gun with eleven Spanish, Austrians and Germans. to one of the leading artists of the by Oxford University Press, that barrels per tier. It was sacked and rebuilt fi ve times. day, Andrea del Verrocchio. His DaVinci was hired by Ludovico, da Vinci explained his philosophy One tier would be experience in Verrocchio’s studio helping the Milanese retain their of defensive arms. fi red, one would be in Florence enabled him to join the independence. “Swords and spears … permitted to cool painters’ Guild of St. Luke in 1472. In 1495, the 70 tons of bronze that themselves never do harm to between fi ring, Surprisingly, some modern had been collected for the statue of anyone,” he wrote. Th e fault lay in and one would be pacifi sts claim that the prolifi c Ludovico’s father was melted down the person who misused a weapon, re-loaded.” weapons inventor, da Vinci, was one into weapons to help save Milan. “that which of itself is gentle and of them. Th ey point to his statement But in 1499, the French conquered void of all off ence will become “it is an infi nitely atrocious act to Milan, in part because Ludovico had terrible and fi erce by reason of evil take away the life of man,” and to alienated much of the population by companionship, and will take the his description of war as “beastly excessive taxation. lives of many people with the utmost madness” (pazzia bestialissima). Aft er 1502, da Vinci worked for cruelty ….” But recognizing the horrors of Cesare Borgia in Florence, during DaVinci also understood the war is not the same as abjuring the a war with Pisa. Th e people of principle of armed deterrence: “… it just use of defensive weapons. “I have the barrels. So he diagramed how Pisa, who were treated as serfs by [evil companionship] would slay come to hate war,” said Dwight D. the Florentines, were in frequent many more if it were not that these Although the wheellock was an to make water-cooled gun barrels. Eisenhower, the supreme commander eminently practical and very major Water-cooling was in fact used for rebellion against them. Biographer [gentle victims] are protected … [by of the Allied forces in Europe during Serge Bramley noted that da Vinci weapons] of iron.” (Notebooks, p. 252) improvement in fi rearms technology, some of the 19th century guns. the Second World War. President some of his other designs were far He also drew diagrams of “concentrated his eff orts on fi nding To create defensive arms used to Eisenhower, an nra Life member, an intelligent, humane, peaceful and save gentle victims is the noble calling ahead of their time. For example, rudimentary exploding projectiles was certainly no pacifi st. (Eisenhower he designed a triple-tier machine designed to be fi red from a catapult, lasting solution to the confl ict.” of America’s modern gun makers and was also an avid skeet shooter. His gun designers, as they follow in the gun with eleven barrels per tier. One and he showed great interest in tier would be fi red, one would be footsteps of supremely talented—and humane—Leonardo da Vinci.

st 38 America’s 1 Freedom | October 2005