Bethlen Gábor fejedelem ágyúiról
The Cannons of Prince Gabriel Bethlen

Summary/Abstract: The princely armoury and cannon foundry (lat. domus armamentaria) known as Kendervár from Alba Iulia was established around 1564 in the south-eastern corner of the fortress. The first period of its functioning ended after 1600, due to the destruction of the capital. Our mostly indirect sources suggest that the manufactory was restarted by Prince Gabriel Bethlen (1613-1629) between 1618 and 1623. In 1629 gun-carriages were made for 24 newly poured cannons. No cannons poured by Gabriel Bethlen have been preserved to our days, but such guns were inventoried in the 17th and 18th centuries in the fortresses from Oradea (RO), Făgăraş (RO), Gurghiu (RO) and Mukacheve (UA). The cannon foundry operated during the reigns of the two Prince George Rákóczis (1630-1648; 1648-1658) as well, and stopped working after the devastation of the town in 1658. An inventory taken in 1696 describes the ruins of the workshops and of the bronze smelting furnace.

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