Arab Torpedo

Medieval Islamic science has enriched universal culture through numerous ingenious works. Unfortunately, though, our knowledge of many of these inventions is poor, as sources are scarce and sometimes contradictory. One of the inventions
worth mentioning is the work of Hassan Al-Rammah, who lived
in the 13th century. In his book Military Horsemanship and Ingenious War Devices, Al-Rammah described a few advances
like gunpowder and rockets. According to the sources, he is the inventor of the world’s first operating torpedo.

Gunpowder

Gunpowder was invented in China, and although there are written records regarding its use dating back to the 9th century, it was not primarily used for military purposes. It was brought to Europe from China by the Arabs, where its composition was described in the 13th century.

Explosive charge

The torpedo was packed with gunpowder, metal filings and other materials.

Operation

On impact the spear pierced the hull of the enemy ship and eventually the device exploded. Thus,
the ship met its fate and sank.

Purpose

The Arab fleet had dominated the
Mediterreanean basin since the 7th century. However, in the 13th century it had to face
a major competitor. Al-Rammah’s invention
proved to be very useful, for it was an alternative
to the expensive fire ships.

Rocket propulsion

According to some sources, the torpedo was propelled by a single instance of this object, or maybe two, according to others.