Crossword clues for petronel
petronel
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Petronel \Pet`ro*nel\, n. [OF. petrinal, fr. peitrine, petrine, the breast, F. poitrine; so called because it was placed against the breast in order to fire. See Poitrel.] A sort of hand cannon, or portable firearm, used in France in the 15th century.
Wiktionary
n. (context obsolete weapons English) A 17th century firearm that used a matchlock or a wheellock mechanism
Wikipedia
A Petronel is a 16th or 17th century firearm, defined by Robert Barret (Theorike and Practike of Modern Warres, 1598) as a horsemans peece. It was the fire-arm which developed on the one hand into the pistol and on the other into the carbine. The name ( French petrinel or poitrinal) was given to the weapon either because it was fired with the butt resting against the chest ( French poitrine, Latin pectus) or it was carried slung from a belt across the chest. Petronels are found with either matchlock or wheellock mechanisms.
The sclopus was the prototype of the petronel. The petronel is a compromise between the harquebus and the pistol. By extension, the term petronel was also used to describe the type of light cavalryman who employed the firearm. The petronel (cavalryman) was used to give support to more heavily armoured cavalry such as demi-lancers and cuirassiers. The petronel was succeeded by a similarly armed cavalryman called the harquebusier.
Usage examples of "petronel".
Besides the common weapons of the peasants there was a puncheon half full of pistols and petronels, together with a good number of muskets, screw-guns, snaphances, birding-pieces, and carbines, with a dozen bell-mouthed brass blunderbusses, and a few old-fashioned wall-pieces, such as sakers and culverins taken from the manor-houses of the county.
Saxon lay across the waggon with his eyes glinting like diamonds and his petronel presented at the full length of his rigid arm.
In addition to this, one man had lost his life through the bursting of an ancient petronel, and another had his arm broken by the kick of a horse.
Sir Stephen, who had been struck by a petronel bullet, and wore a crimsoned kerchief bound round his snow-white head, saw the wisdom of the advice, and moved his townsmen as directed.
I spying his intendment, discharged my petronel in his bosom, and with this instrument, my poor rapier, ran violently upon the Moors that guarded the ordnance, and put them pell-mell to the sword.
Then drawing a petronel from his breast, he pointed the long, shiny barrel at the priest, whose face went ashen at the sight.
Felsheim, who turned upon hearing the report, was just in time to see the girl bend towards him and hold out a petronel urging him to take it and defend himself.
Ten or twelve had petronels, which, from their antique look and rusty condition, threatened to be more dangerous to their possessors than to the enemy.