| A great portion of a knight’s life was devoted | | | | similar to today’s modern claw hammer |
| to the mastery of a variety of weapons. Here is | | | | having one end that was flat and used for |
| a look at some of the more common weapons | | | | striking, and the other end having a piercing beak |
| that were wielded throughout the Middle Ages. | | | | that could penetrate armor. |
| Knights had a reign that lasted several hundred | | | | Polearms were long handled weapons that knights |
| years and in this time period the weapons they | | | | often used in combat -particularly when mounted |
| used varied and changed significantly. Some of the | | | | on horses. They ranged in length from six feet to |
| factors that caused this change were | | | | as much as twelve or sixteen feet. The basic |
| improvements in metalworking and improvements | | | | advantage of a polearm was its reach from atop |
| in weapon design. Armor also improved over this | | | | a horse. It could be used to attack an enemy |
| period of time and it mandated improvements in | | | | before he could get close enough to use his own |
| weapons. One of the most significant changes | | | | weapon. They came in many variations and the |
| came with the advent of plated armor. This new | | | | most common type of polearm is the lance, |
| type of armor caused changes in many of the | | | | which is still used today in jousting competitions. |
| knight’s standard weapons. Slicing and bladed | | | | The lance was also a capable, and feared, weapon |
| weapons were often accentuated or replaced by | | | | used for breaking up the foot ranks of enemy |
| weapons that could pierce or apply a hammer-like | | | | formations. Other types of polearms were often |
| blow. This development of hand weapons | | | | variations of hand-held weapons mounted on the |
| continued to change for centuries and reached its | | | | end of a long pole. And two good examples of |
| apex in the fourteenth and fifteenth century with | | | | this are the poleaxe and the halberd, which were |
| the advent of gunpowder. This articles looks at | | | | forms of axes, often with a hammer, or axe |
| some of the more common weapons from this | | | | blade along one side and a point at the very tip |
| time period. | | | | for penetrating armor. |
| Before gunpowder rendered them obsolete there | | | | While there were many weapons that knights |
| were basically two different types of weapons | | | | used there also were a few weapons that they |
| that knights used: single-handed, and polearm | | | | refused to use for various reasons. Knighthood |
| (two-handed). Of the single-handed weapons the | | | | came with a complete code of conduct and a rule |
| sword is of course the most popular and best | | | | of chivalry and these had an effect on the |
| known. And it was the beneficiary of technology | | | | weapons they could use. The three most popular |
| improvements. Over the centuries they got | | | | weapons that they didn’t use were the bow, |
| longer, sharper, lighter, and stronger. They were | | | | the crossbow, and the dagger. The bow and |
| central part of a knight’s armory and even as | | | | crossbow were considered to be unknightly |
| hand weapons became obsolete swords remained | | | | because you did not face your foe when fighting. |
| part of a knights arsenal as a symbol of power | | | | And the dagger was considered to be a |
| and chivalry. | | | | dishonorable weapon because it was used |
| Another common one-handed weapon of knights | | | | stealthily and hidden; although, the dagger did start |
| was the mace, which was a short handled striking | | | | to become a sometimes-used weapon toward |
| weapon with a ball on the far end. The ball often | | | | the end of the middle ages but it predominantly |
| had spikes or flanges on it, which would penetrate | | | | for ceremonial purposes only. |
| a foes armor. The flail was another standard | | | | The use of weapons by knights over the course |
| weapon and it was short handled with a length of | | | | of the Middle Ages changed and evolved |
| chain then a ball or flail head. This ball on a chain, | | | | significantly based on many factors such as |
| when swung could generate enormous force, and | | | | blacksmithing skills, engineering skills, |
| just as importantly, it could be used to swing up | | | | improvements in armor, improvement in combat |
| and over an enemy’s shield. The warhammer | | | | techniques, and even the code of chivalry. While |
| was another common weapon and it was a direct | | | | many variations of weapons came and went |
| modification of the blacksmith’s hammer. It | | | | there were only about a dozen trusted weapons |
| was a very common weapon particularly in the | | | | that had proven their worth through centuries of |
| early centuries of medieval warfare and was very | | | | use on the battlefield. |