It can be said that the period between 1400 and 1600 was a period of transformation. The Renaissance revolutionized art and reintroduced Greek and Roman works to Europe. Increased technologies and hunger for products from the Indies led to Columbus' discovery of the Americas in 1492, which revolutionized international trade and commerce. In 1517 a German monk named Martin Luther listed a series of denunciations against the Roman church that led to a reform that transformed the Western church. At the same time, a darker but equally important revolution was taking place, the effects of which were no less significant. The invasion of Italy by Charles VII of France in 1494 is considered the beginning of the era of gunpowder warfare, as it was among the first large-scale uses of mobile cannon against fortifications. The effect of gunpowder on warfare cannot be underestimated; its introduction radically altered the way wars were fought and fortifications were no longer the definitive means of defense that they were in the Middle Ages. Knights also eventually lost their position of authority, largely due to the effects of gunpowder. Although gunpowder ultimately revolutionized warfare, what effects did it have during the 16th century? Was the transformation gradual or immediate? An examination of the evidence shows that the period between the 14th and 17th centuries was a crucial period not only in religious and cultural thought, but also in warfare. To understand the extent of changes in the art of warfare during this period we examine the process by which warfare evolved. There were two main areas that underwent significant transformation during the 16th century, combat in f...... middle of paper ......opedia of Military History, New York: Harper and Row, 1970 Holmes, Richard, ed. Decisive battlefield conflicts in history. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.Johnes, Thomas, trans., The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, (London, 1840), http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/agincourt.htmJones, Archer, The Art of War in the Western World, New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.Judge, Edward H. and Langdon, John, Connections A World History Volume 1, New York: Vango Books, 2009Judge, Edward H. and Langdon, John, Connections A World History Volume 2, New York: Vango Books, 2009Melville-Jones, John, Trans. Journal of the Siege of Constantinople 1453. New York. 1969O'Connell, Robert L., Of Arms and Men, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.Oman, CWC, The Art of War in the Middle Ages, New York: Great Seal Books, 1953.