This is a page about the "long poleaxe." For the regular poleaxe, see pollaxe. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 117 × 598 pixel Image in higher resolution (274 × 1401 pixel, file size: 85 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Example from an English museum This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 117 × 598 pixel Image in higher resolution (274 × 1401 pixel, file size: 85 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Example from an English museum This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those... The pollaxe is a type of European polearm which was very popular for foot combat during medieval times. ...
A bardiche or long poleaxe is a type of polearm that was used in medieval and renaissance Europe, especially in Eastern Europe and Russia. The blade varied greatly, but was most often a long, cleaver type blade. The distinction was in how the blade was attached to the pole. Much like the Lochaber Axe, the bardiche blade was attached to the pole either via two sockets (one at the top of the pole and one lower, at the base of the blade) or one socket at the top and one surface mount at the base. This is an effective way to mount a heavy blade to a wooden shaft. A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. ... A Lochaber Axe at two different distances. ...
While the blade was often very long for an axe (usually exceeding 2 feet (60 cm)) the shaft was one of the shortest of all polearms; rarely did it exceed 5 feet (1.5 m) in length. It relied more on the weight of its heavy blade to do the damage than a swing from a long pole. This makes the bardiche more similar to the Danish axe in some respects than a true polearm. Depending on the design of the particular weapons in question, at times a bardiche may greatly resemble a voulge. Axe For other uses, see Axe (disambiguation). ... The Danish long axe went by many names, including Dane-axe, English long axe, Viking axe, and hafted axe. ... A voulge (rarely called a pole cleaver) is a type of polearm that existed along side the similar glaive in medieval Europe. ...
In Russia and in Poland this weapon was used to rest handguns upon when firing. It was standard equipment for the Streltsy corps (foot, mounted and dragoons) and also for the Polish infantry. It has been suggested that Streltsy Department be merged into this article or section. ...
The Sparth - or Bardiche was used throughout Scandinavia, Russia and Eastern Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
As the Bardiche has neither a lug or hook at the back, nor a spear like point ahead of the top of the haft, which makes it quite different from the halberd.
Although it seems fairly certain that the true bardiche of this form was not in use before 1500 A.D., there are numerous medieval manuscript pictures which show weapons of a very similar nature as early as 1250 A.D. Head 27 3/4" long, Pole 42" long.
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