Introduction
The polearm, in particular the spear, is one of the oldest weapons in existence. Its mastery was of paramount importance to the armies of Europe and, as such, it was a common topic in historical works. Common weapons in this category include the quarterstaff, spear, halberd, and poleaxe.
A stunning example of a ceremonial french partisan.
Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public Domain.
The Quarterstaff
The quarterstaff was a simple shaft of wood that could be used to teach students proper body mechanics. It was an intimidating weapon in and of itself and was commonly used by peasants and travelers. [1]
A breakdown of quarterstaff anatomy.
Courtesy of Nicholas Allen. Public Domain.
Sources
German
Andre Paurñfeyndt (1510-1564): Paurñfeyndt was a German Federfechter (a member of an established fencing guild) and followed the traditions of Liechtenauer. His treatise diverges significantly from the standard teachings of the Liechtenauer tradition, but this may be due to his stated purpose of writing for beginning fencers. His staff section features detailed descriptions of various techniques and their counters.
Paulus Hector Mair (1540): Mair was a collector of fencing manuscripts and owned over a dozen fencing manuals over the course of his life. Most of the treatises Mair published were revisions or expansions upon the works in his collection. His quarterstaff section is beautifully illustrated and extensively detailed, discussing how to stand, strike, parry, and grapple.
Joachim Meyer (1560-1570): One of the most well-known sources for quarterstaff comes from Joachim Meyer’s treatises. It includes comprehensive plates presenting all the techniques listed being performed at once. His staff material makes up a large portion of his work and begins with the short staff, which he uses as a training tool for various pole weapons (and possibly also the greatsword). He moves on to the halberd before ending with the long staff (representing the pike). Roger Norling has written an excellent Introduction to Meyer’s Quarterstaff Series on HROARR.
One of Meyer's plates that depict multiple techniques at once depicted in his treatise A Thorough Description of the Art of Fencing staff, plate B
Courtesy of Wiktenauer.
Demonstration
This demonstrates some of Meyer’s staff techniques. These can be easily adapted for any polearm.
The Spear
The spear is easy to make and very cheap to produce. This makes it one of the most enduring weapons in human history. Spears in Europe were generally six to eight feet long and made of stout hardwood with a steel head. A javelin is a spear that was designed to be thrown. A pike is a very long spear (ten to twenty feet long) used by infantry to deter cavalry charges. A partisan is a spear head that is elongated and optimized to cut as well as thrust. [2]
This is an example of a winged spearhead used for hunting. The wings on either side of the spearhead were intended to stop the forward momentum of a charging animal, usually a boar, preventing it from goring the hunter.
Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public Domain.
A breakdown of spear anatomy.
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, edited by TOTA. Public Domain.
Sources
Italian
Fiore de'i Liberi (early 1400s): The foundation of the Italian fencing tradition is the Flower of Battle by Fiore de’i Liberi. The book describes Fiore’s life fighting and teaching and describes how to wrestle and fight with a dagger, sword, polearms, on a horse, and in armor. This is a complete martial system and is foundational to Italian martial arts. His spear section is extensive, describing how to fight with a spear on foot, against cavalry, and on horseback.
Achille Marozzo (1536): Marozzo is famous for his massive work Opera Nova which became the dominant work in the Dardi or "Bolognese" school of swordsmanship. He included instruction on how to fight with pole weapons, including the partisan both by itself and with a shield. This instruction incorporates both cutting and thrusting.
A man standing on guard, as depicted in Oprea Nova, image 54.
Courtesy of Wiktenauer.
German
Paulus Hector Mair (1540): Instead of treating the spear individually, Mair elects to show its use in context. He includes depictions of the spear used against other weapons such as the longsword, as well as its use with a sword and shield held in the off hand.
Demonstration
MEMAG demonstrates several Talhoffer spear techniques.
The Halberd
The halberd, like the poleaxe, is a combination weapon that brings together an axe and spear; the poleaxe additionally features an integrated hammer. The halberd was designed to be able to cut and thrust, and it could prove very deadly. It was very popular in Switzerland, where massed groups of halberdiers could deter cavalry charges than be prepared to engage with the incoming infantry as would not be possible with the more unwieldy pike.[3]
An example of a German halberd head.
Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public Domain.
Sources
German
Paulus Hector Mair (1540): Mair’s halberd section is lavishly illustrated and exacting in its descriptions. Mair takes pains to explain the application of all the parts of the halberd, from the shaft and axe to the fluke and spike. In addition to providing instruction on direct use of the weapon, he also covers how to grapple using its shaft.
Joachim Meyer (1560-1570): Meyer applies the quarterstaff principles established earlier in his texts to the halberd section. His approach allows for the application of a few fundamentals to a variety of polearms using the same system.
Demonstration
This video shows how to fight with a halberd.
The Poleaxe
The poleaxe was a formidable and versatile weapon of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The combination of the cutting ax head, thrusting spike, and percussive hammer made the poleaxe a threat to anyone, regardless of what level of armor they wore. The hammer was used as a percussive weapon that focused on shattering bones rather than piercing skin. It was designed to combat armored opponents and proved very effective against them because the concussive force of a hammer blow could bypass armor that would render a sharp sword useless. The ax blade was narrow and thus designed to focus the force of impact on a small area, allowing the weapon to penetrate textile armor like gambesons. Finally, the spike at the top allowed the weapon to function as a spear, enabling it to be used in formation or to keep opponents at bay. Poleaxes usually have strips of metal called langets that run from the head of the weapon partway down the shaft to reinforce the head’s attachment to the pole and prevent the wood from splitting. [4]
An example of a french poleaxe.
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public Domain.
A breakdown of Poleaxe anatomy.
Courtesy of Nicholas Allen, Public Domain
Sources
French
Le Jeu de la Hache (1400): Le Jeu de la Hache ("The Play of the Axe", MS Français 1996), is a French fencing manual written in ca. 1400 by an anonymous Milanese fencing master in service to Philip II "the Bold", duke of Burgundy. The earliest extant treatise on the use of the poleaxe, the manuscript is possesses detailed descriptions of a variety of techniques. While it has been translated, it is unillustrated; however, each paragraph has a large blank space next to the smaller area reserved for an initial, so illustrations may have been intended.
German
Paulus Hector Mair (1540): Mair makes the choice to depict the fighters in his poleaxe section in street clothes instead of plate. Regardless, his techniques are effective both in and out of armor. They are also well explained and crisply illustrated.
Italian
Fiore de'i Liberi (early 1400s): Fiore limits the depiction of the poleaxe to his armor section. Nevertheless, he describes several techniques that are devastating both in and out of armor and make use of all parts of the poleaxe.
This shows a death blow to the head with the hammer, featured in Fiore’s Flower of Battle. Fiore notes that “you will likely drop to the ground dead after being struck in the head like this.".
Courtesy of Wiktenauer.
Demonstration
A demonstration of several poleaxe techniques.
Equipment
I have published an extensive list of recommended polearm trainers for beginners in HEMA.
Written by Nicholas Allen, founder and former head instructor of the VCU HEMA club.
Edited by Kiana Shurkin, xKDF
Historical sources fact-checked by Michael Chidester, Editor-in-Chief of Wiktenauer
Works Cited
Footnotes
[1] "Quarterstaff | Weapon", Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/technology/quarterstaff.
[2] Thomas F. Arnold and John Keegan, The Renaissance At War, 2nd ed. (repr., Harper Perennial, 2006).
[3] John F. Guilmartin, "Military Technology | History, Advances, & Weapons", Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-technology.
[4] "Knightly Poll Axe", Arms & Armor, 2020, https://www.arms-n-armor.com/blogs/news/knightly-pole-axe.
Citations
Arnold, Thomas F., and John Keegan. The Renaissance At War. 2nd ed. Reprint, Harper Perennial, 2006.
Guilmartin, John F. "Military Technology | History, Advances, & Weapons". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-technology.
"Knightly Poll Axe". Arms & Armor, 2020. https://www.arms-n-armor.com/blogs/news/knightly-pole-axe.
"Quarterstaff | Weapon". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/technology/quarterstaff.
