What type of weapon did Leonardo da Vinci propose using several gun barrels fired in sequence?

Leonardo da Vinci proposed a multi-barrel gun with several gun barrels arranged to fire in sequence.

The weapon is commonly associated with a three-tiered arrangement of small cannon or gun barrels mounted on a wheeled frame. One row could be fired while another was being loaded, allowing a sustained sequence of shots compared with a single muzzle-loading gun. The carriage was designed to be moved and aimed on the battlefield.

Leonardo’s military notebooks contain many studies of weapons, fortifications, and artillery. His designs show interest in increasing firepower while reducing the time between shots, although the practical problems of loading, recoil, and coordinating crews remained significant.

The device is sometimes called a “machine gun,” but that modern term can mislead. Leonardo’s proposal used separate barrels and did not have the automatic firing system of a modern machine gun. Nor was it a rotating Gatling gun, which was developed centuries later.