Fathullah Shirazi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fathullah Shirazi (c. 1582), sometimes referred to as Amir Fathullah Shirazi,[1] was a Persian-Indian scholar, polymath, and mechanical engineer, who worked for Akbar the Great, ruler of the Mughal Empire.[2] Shirazi was given the title of 'Azuddudaulah, translated as "the arm of the empire."[3]
Among the inventions credited to him was a military weapon, fashioned for killing infantry: the first known autocannon. As opposed to the polybolos and repeating crossbows used earlier in Ancient Greece and China, respectively, Shirazi's rapid-firing machine had multiple gun barrels that fired hand cannon.[2] Another cannon-related machine he created could clean sixteen gun barrels simultaneously, and was operated by a cow.[1] Not all of his creations were intended for warfare, however, including a carriage, which was called comfortable by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak. It could also be used to grind corn, when not transporting passengers.[1]
