Part 8/10:
As trade flourished, so did the exchange of ideas and technologies, including the catastrophic invention of gunpowder. Originating in China, this explosive mixture found its way to the West through the same routes that facilitated trade. By the 14th century, gunpowder had a profound impact on the face of warfare in Europe, exemplified by its use during the Battle of Crecy in 1346.
The introduction of gunpowder weapons changed the landscape of military strategy and heralded the decline of the once-dominant medieval knight. The battle of Crecy exemplifies how technological advancement, provoked by the connections cultivated along the Silk Road, transformed European society.