Körner, Karl K. Die glatte Vorderlader-Artillerie der k.k. Marine 1750 - 1866

This 480-page illustrated text volume describes the armament of the Austrian fleet with naval guns and its development from the second half of the 18th century until the introduction of rifled cannons of naval artillery. After more than 40 years of research in Austrian and foreign archives, the author, Dr. Karl Klaus Körner, presents a unique source work that not only fills large gaps, but for the first time provides a deep insight into the development of the Austrian navy in terms of weaponry. A warship is not an end in itself. Its weapons are the means to achieve set goals. While ship artillery from the first rifled guns of the 19th century onwards is generally well documented, there has been a lack of summary accounts of smoothbore muzzle-loaders - even among the great maritime nations - until recent times. For the k.k. This may have to do with the fact that the early Austrian naval tradition was exposed to two major disruptions. The takeover of the Venetian fleet remnants in 1798 together with unsuitable naval artillery was more burden than gain. After the loss of access to the sea in 1809, the political reorganisation following the Napoleonic Wars provided the Imperial and Royal Navy with a rich legacy of ships. Navy a rich heritage of ships and usable artillery material. Austria lived off this wealth for the next few decades and was only forced to equip its naval forces with the necessary means from its own resources at a very late stage. Thus, the naval artillery at the time of the smooth-bore muzzle-loaders was a hodgepodge of different systems, forms and countries of origin. This book traces all of them.

This may have to do with the fact that the Austrian naval tradition of the early days was exposed to two major disruptions. The takeover of the remnants of the Venetian fleet in 1798, together with unsuitable naval artillery, was more of a burden than a gain. After the loss of access to the sea in 1809, the political reorganisation following the Napoleonic Wars provided the Imperial-Royal Navy with a rich legacy of ships. Navy a rich heritage of ships and usable artillery material. Austria reaped the benefits of this for the next few decades and was only forced to equip its naval forces with the necessary resources at a very late stage. Thus, the naval artillery at the time of the smoothbore muzzle-loaders was a hodgepodge of different systems, forms and countries of origin. This book traces all these traces.