Bujdosné Pap Györgyi et al.: Mozgó frontvonalak. Háború és diplomácia a várháborúk időszakában 1552-1568 - Studia Agriensia 35. (Eger, 2017)
Florin-Nicolae Ardelean: On the Foreign Mercenaries and Early Modern Military Innovations in East Central Europe. Castaldo's Army in Transsylvania and the Banat
Hungary.42 While it is difficult to assess the number of smaller hand weapons, documents are quite specific when it comes to artillery. In an official report dating from 14 ofMay 1551, it was stated that the six Spanish companies that were about to cross the Tisza river had four small bombards. 6 larger bombards, taken from Trencsén (Trencin, Slovakia) and Murány (Murán, Slovakia) were carried by the German regiment of Felix de Arco.43 A week later (21 May) other 4 bombards were sent from Trencsén to Transylvania.44 These early documents indicate that the artillery of the Habsburg army was made up of 14 larger pieces. This information seems to be confirmed, with approximation by Centorio, who mentions 13 pieces.45 In his study dedicated to the conquest of Temesvár by the Turks, the historian Károly Czimer, quoting a document from the archive of Brussels, states that the Habsburg army had 4 larger siege guns and 6 other smaller artillery pieces.46 The problem of weapons and supplies was a constant concern for general Castaldo. Most of his letters and reports from this period refer to this matter. Fire hand weapons, harquebuses (pixidis barbatis), were constantly requested because, as the general himself said, they are useful in the defence of the fortifications and of mountain passes. Some documents also mention muskets.4 These modern hand guns were used by Spanish soldiers and were fired form carriages.48 By the end ofAugust 1551 it was becoming more and more clear that the Turkish offensive will target Temesvár. In the following weeks Castaldo sent all dispensable troops from Transylvania to the Banat. Two light cavalry companies were sent to Tokaj and Kassa to accompany and protect a convoy of artillery and munitions needed in Transylvania. The weapons were urgently needed since Castaldo sent to Temesvár some of his own military supplies. In a report sent to the emperor he mentions: 3 falconets, 140 barrels of gun powder, 200 long pikes (cuspidibus) and a great number of harquebuses sent to Temesvár. All this weapons and ammunitions were transported, at least part of the way, on boats on the Maros River.49 Transporting artillery, especially the heavier pieces, was a complicated matter. The marching capacity of armies was seriously diminished by their artillery train. Thus, sometimes, commanders decided to reduce their fire power in order to maintain a strategic advantage. Sforza Pallavicini took such a decision when he joined the army 42 According to an inventory of the Kassa arsenal, made in december 1554, weapons and other materials of war were sent to Transylvania with Castaldo and his army. Domokos 1997.738. 43 ÖStA HHStA Hungarica AA Fas. 62, Konv. A, £ 57-60. 44 Hurmuzaki 1894. doc. CCCXLV 552-553. 45 Centorio 1566.65-66.; Kropf 1896.323-324. 46 Czimer 1893.19. 47 ÖStA HHStA Hungarica AA Fas. 58, Konv. B, £ 82-84. 48 Korpás 1999. Doc. 41., 120. 49 ÖStA HHStA Hungarica AA Fas. 59, Konv. B, f 32-35. 123
