[History] Greek Fire

[Tacticalwithdrawal]

Author: scottishranger
Original Thread: Greek Fire

Greek Fire

Greek Fire

Due to the upcoming M2TW game coming out, I have been thinking about the many new weapons of the Middle Ages, and how they were used. One of the more mysterious weapons during that time, was the Byzantine military secret known as Greek Fire.

Origin

The origin of this mighty and mysterious weapon is an event today unknown by modern historians, but according to legend, Greek Fire was invented by a refugee/engineer from Syria named Kallinikos. It was said that Kallinikos learned the technique of creating Greek Fire in Alexandria where early alchemists were experimenting with many different things in those times, but even that is lost to the sands of time.

Why was Greek Fire so powerful?

So why was this fire so powerful you may ask? Well, the reason is that when water was poured onto the adhesive flames(once it came in contact with something it would not let go.) the liquid, which would not do a thing, sometimes made the fire spread faster. In its early times, the fire would be hurled from light catapults by launching a burning cloth wrapped around a ball or flask onto the center of an enemy fleet or army. Later, it would be adapted to be sprayed through a nozzle at close range.
Greek Fire proved an essential ally to the Byzantine cause. The fire proved itself on land by demonstrating how effective it was as a counter-siege device,(think of the burning siege towers in RTW)

The fire was mainly used by the Byzantine Navy during confrontation with enemy fleets, where tightly packed wooden ships provided a perfect opportunity for the fire to spread uncontrollably to the whole fleet. This weapon all but assured Byzantine naval dominance in the Mediterranean Sea, as often enemy ships would turn back rather than face the possible death by uncontrollable fire.
Greek Fire first proved itself during the Battle of Syllaeum in 667 A.D., where the Byzantine used Greek Fire against the Arabs for the first time in a major engagement. The Arabian fleet was routed at this battle, and then during the retreat was annihilated in a heavy storm. This victory, coupled with others in Anatolia ensured the Byzantines thirty years of relative peace from the Arabs.
The fire was also used to good extent against the Viking raiders in 941 A.D. and again by the Byzantines during the 4th Crusade against the Venetians.

This is one of the few accounts still existing of Greek Fire.
(Copied from Wikipedia)
The Memoirs of Jean de Joinville, a thirteenth century French nobleman, include these observations of Greek fire during the Seventh Crusade:
It happened one night, whilst we were keeping night-watch over the tortoise-towers, that they brought up against us an engine called a perronel, (which they had not done before) and filled the sling of the engine with Greek fire. When that good knight, Lord Walter of Cureil, who was with me, saw this, he spoke to us as follows: "Sirs, we are in the greatest peril that we have ever yet been in. For, if they set fire to our turrets and shelters, we are lost and burnt; and if, again, we desert our defences which have been entrusted to us, we are disgraced; so no one can deliver us from this peril save God alone. My opinion and advice therefore is: that every time they hurl the fire at us, we go down on our elbows and knees, and beseech Our Lord to save us from this danger.
So soon as they flung the first shot, we went down on our elbows and knees, as he had instructed us; and their first shot passed between the two turrets, and lodged just in front of us, where they had been raising the dam. Our firemen were all ready to put out the fire; and the Saracens, not being able to aim straight at them, on account of the two pent-house wings which the King had made, shot straight up into the clouds, so that the fire-darts fell right on top of them.
This was the fashion of the Greek fire: it came on as broad in front as a vinegar cask, and the tail of fire that trailed behind it was as big as a great spear; and it made such a noise as it came, that it sounded like the thunder of heaven. It looked like a dragon flying through the air. Such a bright light did it cast, that one could see all over the camp as though it were day, by reason of the great mass of fire, and the brilliance of the light that it shed.
Thrice that night they hurled the Greek fire at us, and four times shot it from the tourniquet cross-bow

If this Fire was unstoppable how come the Byzantines aren’t around Today?

Well, the Greek Fire was a fearsome weapon undoubtedly, but fire is and always will be a very hard substance to control, even by its inventors. There were many reported cases that the fire would sometimes set alight Byzantine ships instead of the enemy. Luckily thanks to the Greek Fire’s awesome reputation the enemy would sooner retreat than face this terrible weapon.
The last record of Greek Fire is during the Last Siege of Constantinople by the Ottomans. When the Ottoman forces finally breached the city in 1453 the secret of Greek Fire was lost forever to the Ottoman torch.
To this day, modern historians still speculate over how the Byzantines created its legendary weapon, Greek Fire. We may never know this ancient secret, but we do know the legacy it left behind as one of the greatest military secrets of all time and as a terrifying weapon and deterrent. It just makes me hope MTW2 accurately portrays the fire.

Please note that there is a distinct lack of sources for this info.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_fire
also check out
A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder by James Riddick Partington
Probably the best source of info on Greek Fire.