AI--answer to What kind of muskets did the Portuguese use in Pegu and Ayutthaya.

AI Overview

How portugal became a Military power and Why AoE decided to ...

The Portuguese introduced early firearms, primarily the arquebus (matchlock), to Southeast Asia (Pegu/Burma, Ayutthaya/Thailand), which locals adapted into weapons like the istinggar (a local matchlock). These weren't modern muskets (which came later) but early, heavy shoulder-fired guns that revolutionized warfare, leading locals to develop their own versions using Portuguese designs after the fall of Malacca (1511).

Key Firearm Type:

Matchlock Arquebus: The core Portuguese innovation was the matchlock, a primitive firearm ignited by a slow match.

Heavy Arquebus/Early Musket: The term "musket" referred to heavier versions of the arquebus, designed to pierce plate armor, emerging around the 1520s in Europe and influencing Asian arms.

Impact in Pegu & Ayutthaya:

Introduction & Adaptation: Portuguese traders and soldiers brought these firearms, influencing local smiths in regions like Kedah (Langkasuka) and Sumatra.

Local Production: The istinggar (or astinggal) became a popular local matchlock, showing Portuguese design influence, though built by Southeast Asian artisans.

Changing Warfare: These guns, alongside European armor (like the cuirass), changed local tactics, forcing adaptations in armor and strategy in Ayutthaya.

In essence, they used early, matchlock-based firearms (arquebuses/early muskets) that were rapidly adopted and localized, rather than standardized "muskets" as we know them later.

Arquebus - Wikipedia

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