This is a timeline of the history of gunpowder and related topics such as weapons, warfare, and industrial applications. The timeline covers the history of gunpowder from the first hints of its origin as a Taoist alchemical product in China until its replacement by smokeless powder in the late 19th century (from 1884 to the present day).

Pre-gunpowder formula Major developments: Earliest stage of gunpowder development. Mentions of gunpowder ingredients and their uses in conjunction with each other. Year Date Region Event 142 A Taoist text known as the Cantong qi, or the Book of the Kinship of Three, by Wei Boyang, who lived in the Eastern Han dynasty, mentions a combination of three powders that fly and dance violently. 318 The ingredients of gunpowder are recorded in the Baopuzi, also known as The Master Who Embraces Simplicity, by Taoist philosopher Ge Hong, who lived in the Jin dynasty (266–420). It describes experiments to create gold with heated saltpeter, pine resin, and charcoal among other carbon materials, resulting in a purple powder and arsenic vapours. 492 Tao Hongjing, a Taoist alchemist, notes that saltpeter burns with a purple flame. 756 The Taoist Mao Kua reports in his Pinglongren (Recognition of the Recumbent Dragon) that by heating saltpeter, the yin of the air can be obtained, which combines with sulphur, carbon, and metals other than gold.

9th century Major developments: Earliest definite references to a gunpowder formula and awareness of its danger. Year Date Region Event 808 The Taoist priest Qing Xuzi mentions the gunpowder formula in his Taishang Shengzu Jindan Mijue, describing six parts sulfur to six parts saltpeter to one part birthwort herb. 858 The Taoist text Zhenyuan miaodao yaolüe (Classified Essentials of the Mysterious Way of the True Origin of Things) contains a warning on the dangers of gunpowder: "Some have heated together sulfur, realgar (arsenic disulphide), and saltpeter with honey; smoke [and flames] result, so that their hands and faces have been burnt, and even the whole house burned down."

10th century Major developments: Gunpowder is utilized in Chinese warfare and an assortment of gunpowder weapons appear. Fire arrows utilizing gunpowder as an incendiary appear in the early 900s and possibly rocket arrows as well by the end of the century. The gunpowder slow match is used for igniting flame throwers. The ancestor of firearms, the fire lance, also appears, but its usage in the 10th century is uncertain and no textual evidence for it exists during this period. Year Date Region Event 904 Fire arrows utilizing gunpowder are used by Southern Wu troops during the siege of Yuzhang.天佑初，王茂章征安仁义于润州，洎城陷，中十余创，以功迁左先锋都尉。从攻豫章，（郑）璠以所部发机「飞火」，烧龙沙门，率壮士突火先登入城，焦灼被体，以功授检校司徒。(Rough Translation: During the beginning of Tianyou Era (904–907), Zheng Fan followed Wang Maozhang in a campaign against Runzhou, which was guarded by rebel An Renyi. He was severely injured in the process and as the result he was promoted to Junior General of Left Vanguard. At the campaign of Yuchang, he ordered his troops to shoot off a machine to let fire fly and burn the Longsha Gate, after which he led his troops over the fire and entered the city. His body was scorched, for which he was appointed Prime Minister Inspectorate.) Records of Nine Kingdoms ch. 2 919 The gunpowder slow match appears in China (for igniting flamethrowers). 950 Fire lances appear in China. 969 Gunpowder propelled fire arrows, rocket arrows, are invented by Yue Yifang and Feng Jisheng. 975 The state of Wuyue sends a group of soldiers skilled in the use of fire arrows to the Song dynasty, which uses fire arrows and incendiary bombs in the same year to destroy the fleet of Southern Tang. 994 The Liao dynasty attacks the Song dynasty and lays siege to Zitong with 100,000 troops, but fails due to the defenders' use of fire arrows. 1000 Tang Fu demonstrates gunpowder pots and caltrops to the Song court and is rewarded.

11th century Major developments: The chemical formula for gunpowder is recorded in the Wujing Zongyao by 1044. Bombs appear in the early 11th century. Gunpowder becomes more common in the Song dynasty and production of gunpowder weapons is systematized. The Song court restricts trade of gunpowder ingredients with the Liao and Western Xia dynasties. Year Date Region Event 1002 Shi Pu demonstrates fireballs utilizing gunpowder to the Song court and blueprints are created for promulgation throughout the realm. 1044 The chemical formula for gunpowder appears in the military manual Wujing Zongyao, also known as the Complete Essentials for the Military Classics. "Thunderclap bombs" are mentioned in the Wujing Zongyao. A "triple-bed-crossbow" firing fire arrows is mentioned in the Wujing Zongyao. 1067 Private trade of gunpowder ingredients is banned in the Song dynasty. 1075 Vietnam's Lý dynasty used fire arrows against the Song dynasty during the Lý–Song War (1075–1077). 1076 Trade of gunpowder ingredients with the Liao and Western Xia dynasties is outlawed by the Song court. 1083 Three hundred thousand fire arrows are produced by the Song court and delivered to two garrisons.

12th century Major developments: Gunpowder fireworks are mentioned. Ships are equipped with trebuchets for hurling bombs. Earliest recorded usage of gunpowder artillery in ship to ship combat, first mention of the fire lance in battle, and the earliest possible depiction of a cannon appears. Year Date Region Event 1110 The Song army puts on a firework display for the emperor including a spectacle which opened with "a noise like thunder" and explosives that light up the night. Considered by some to be the first mention of gunpowder fireworks. 1126 February Jingkang Incident: Thunderclap bomb as well as fire arrows and fire bombs are used by Song troops during the siege of Kaifeng by the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). 1127 December "Molten metal bombs", suspected to contain gunpowder, are employed by Song troops when the Jin army returns with fire arrows and gunpowder bombs made by captured Song artisans. Kaifeng is taken. 1128 The earliest extant depiction of a cannon appears among the Dazu Rock Carvings, one of which is a human figure holding a gourd shaped hand cannon. 1129 Gunpowder weapons are applied to naval warfare as Song warships are outfitted with trebuchets and supplies of gunpowder bombs. 1132 Siege of De'an: Fire lances are used by Song troops. Gunpowder is referred to specifically for its military applications for the first time and is known as "fire bomb medicine" rather than "fire medicine". Firecrackers using gunpowder are mentioned for the first time. 1159 Fire arrows are employed by a Song fleet in sinking a Jin fleet off the shore of Shandong peninsula. 1161 26–27 November Battle of Caishi: Thunderclap bombs are employed by Song treadmill boats in sinking a Jin fleet on the Yangtze. 1163 Fire lances are attached to war carts, known as "at-your-desire-war-carts", for defending Song mobile trebuchets.

13th century Major developments: Bomb shells gain an iron casing. Fire lances are equipped with projectiles and reusable iron barrels. Rockets are used in warfare. "Fire emitting tubes" are produced in the Song dynasty by the mid-13th century and hand cannons are recorded to have been used in battle by the Yuan dynasty in 1287. The earliest extant cannons appear in China. The Mongols spread gunpowder weaponry to Japan, Southeast Asia, and possibly the Middle East as well as Europe. Europe and India both acquire gunpowder by the end of the century, but only in the Middle East are gunpowder weapons mentioned in any detail. Year Date Region Event 1207 Thunderclap bombs are employed by Song forces in a sneak attack on a Jin camp, killing 2000 men and 800 horses. 1221 Iron casing bombs are employed by Jin troops in the siege of Qi Prefecture (Hubei). 1227 The Wuwei Bronze Cannon, excavated in 1980, is dated to the Western Xia (1038–1227) period. It is currently the oldest possible extant cannon, however like the Heilongjiang hand cannon it contains no inscription and dating is based on contextual evidence. 1230 Co-viative projectiles are added to fire lances. 1231 "Thunder crash bombs" are employed by Jin troops in destroying a Mongol warship. 1232 Reusable fire lance barrels made of durable paper are employed by Jin troops during the Siege of Kaifeng (1232). "Flying fire-lances" with re-usable barrels are used in the defense of Bianjing against Mongols. Some interpret these to be rockets. 1237 Large bombs requiring several hundred men to hurl using trebuchets are employed by Mongols in the siege of Anfeng (modern Shouxian, Anhui). 1240 The Middle East acquires knowledge of saltpeter (Chinese snow). 1241 Chronicle records the use of pyrotechnic weapons against the Polish prince Henry by the Mongols in the Battle of Legnica in 1241. The same technology must have also been used same year during the Mongol invasion of Hungary 1245 Rockets are used during a military exercise conducted by the Song navy. 1257 Three hundred thirty-three "fire emitting tubes" are produced in a Song arsenal in Jiankang Prefecture (Nanjing, Jiangsu). 1258 In India, gunpowder is used in pyrotechnics. 1259 The History of Song describes a "fire-emitting lance" employing a pellet wad projectile which occludes the barrel. Some consider this to be the first bullet. The city of Qingzhou produces one to two thousand iron cased bomb shells a month and sends them in deliveries of ten to twenty thousand at a time to Xiangyang and Yingzhou. 1264 A display of miniature rockets frightens the Song empress. 1267 In Europe gunpowder in the form of a firecracker is mentioned in textual sources by Roger Bacon, in his Opus Majus. 1272 Battle of Xiangyang: Fire lances are used by a Song riverine relief force to repel boarders. 1276 The "lance" in fire lance is written with the "metal" radical instead of the "wood" radical, suggesting that the barrels employed by the Song army are made of metal. Fire lances are used by Song cavalry in combating Mongols. 1277 A suicide bombing occurs in China when Song garrisons set off a large bomb, killing themselves. 1280 "Eruptors," cannons firing co-viative projectiles, are employed in the Yuan dynasty. A major accidental explosion occurs in China when a Yuan gunpowder storehouse at Weiyang, Yangzhou catches fire and explodes, killing 100 guards and hurling building materials over 5 km away. The Middle East acquires fire lances and rockets. Hasan al-Rammah writes, in Arabic, recipes for gunpowder, instructions for the purification of saltpeter, and descriptions of gunpowder incendiaries. He also provides a description and illustration of the world's first torpedo. Europe acquires the gunpowder formula. 1281 Bombs are employed by Mongols in the Mongol invasions of Japan.Stephen Turnbull (19 February 2013). [url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qo4amAg_ygIC&pg=PT41 The Mongol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281]. Osprey Publishing. pp 41–42. . Retrieved 6 September 2016. 1287 Hand cannons are employed by the troops of Yuan Jurchen commander Li Ting in putting down a rebellion by Mongol prince Nayan. 1288 The Heilongjiang hand cannon is dated to this year based on contextual evidence and its proximity to the rebellion by Mongol prince Nayan, although it contains no inscription. 1293 Mongol troops of Yuan dynasty carried Chinese cannons to Java in 1293. 1298 The Xanadu Gun, the oldest confirmed extant hand cannon, is dated to this year based on its inscription and contextual evidence. 1299 Fire lances are used in battles between the Mongols and Muslims 1300 In India Mongol mercenaries deploy fire arrows during a siege.

14th century