Brief Description:  The Dulle Griet (Mad Meg) is a massive, mid-15th-century wrought-iron bombard forged in Flanders. Weighing over 12.5 tonnes, it is one of the largest surviving medieval superguns. Famous for its flared muzzle and red paint, the cannon was primarily designed for siege warfare and psychological intimidation.

Construction & Design:

Method: Unlike later cast-bronze or cast-iron cannons, the Dulle Griet was built using sophisticated, labor-intensive smithing techniques.

The Barrel: The core barrel was built from 32 longitudinal wrought-iron staves.

Reinforcement: To prevent the massive barrel from bursting under pressure, it was reinforced on the outside by tightly shrunk 61 iron hoops and rings.

Caliber & Dimensions: It has a caliber of roughly 64 cm (about 25 inches) and an outer diameter of over 90 cm. The total length of the gun is nearly 5 meters.

Ammunition & Capability:

Projectiles: The bombard fired colossal stone balls, weighing between 300 kg to 340 kg (about 660 to 750 pounds).

Tactical Use: These giant projectiles were intended to batter down reinforced stone city walls from a distance, or strike fear into defenders well before a close-quarters assault.