When was the earliest recorded battle with the usage of gunpowder as an offensive weapon?

Question

When was the earliest recorded battle (on script) with the usage of gunpowder (in any form) as an offensive weapon?

Answer 1

In one of the single greatest ironies in human history, gunpowder was apparently created by Taoist monks seeking an elixir of immortality (or at least to prolong life). They warned that the ingredients, when combined, would singe the beard terribly, so exercise caution when using it. This was in the ninth century AD. By the end of the tenth, fire arrows existed, with the first official use of gunpowder in battle recorded in 1,000 AD. Its use evolved over the centuries, first serving simpler purposes such as allowing the archer to see the arrow's exact arc and correct it with the next shot, setting fire to the enemy's turf when it landed, and scaring the pants off of that enemy.

Other cultures began using incendiaries of different sorts around the same time frame, but based theirs on petroleum products and similar flammables, throwing them in pots like a sort of rudimentary grenade. When gunpowder reached European shores, they began combining it with their earlier designs before shifting to it as their primary weapon.