Hellburners (Dutch: hellebranders) were specialised fireships used in the Siege of Antwerp (1584–1585) during the Eighty Years' War between the Dutch rebels and the Habsburgs. They were floating bombs, also called "Antwerp fire", and did immense damage to the Spanish besiegers.[1] Hellburners have been described as an early form of weapons of mass destruction.[2]
- ^ Swanger, Wm. Jherek, Military science in the 16th century (PDF), p. 37, archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-28. Class handout.
- ^ O'Connell, Robert L. (1990-04-19). Of Arms and Men: A History of War, Weapons, and Aggression. Oxford University Press. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-19-802204-6.