A Viking "Bearded Axe" ca. 1000 (top) and a German Horsemans Axe ca. 1100 (bottom)

A battle axe (also battle-axe or battle-ax) is an axe specifically designed as a weapon. Battle axes were specialized versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were wielded two-handed. Axes designed for warfare ranged in weight from just over 0.5 kg to 3 kg (1 to 6 pounds), and in length from just over 30 cm to upwards of 1.5 m (1 to 5 feet), such as the Danish axe or the sparth axe. Anything longer than 1.5 m would arguably fall more into the category of polearms. Through the course of human history, commonplace objects have been pressed into service as weapons. Axes, by virtue of their ubiquity, are no exception. Besides axes designed for combat, there were many axes that were both tools and weapons. Axes could be designed as throwing weapons as well (see the Francisca for an example). Axes were always cheaper than swords and far more available. Battleaxe can refer to: Look up battle axe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ... 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. ... ... Different types of the Francisca The francisca or francesca is a throwing axe that was used as a weapon by early Franks before the 6th century. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Overview

Battle axes generally weigh far less than modern splitting axes, especially mauls, because they were designed to cut legs and arms rather than wood; consequently more narrow, slicing blades are the norm. This facilitates deep, grievous wounds, additionally, a lighter weapon is much quicker in combat. The handles of military axes were often reinforced with metal bands called langetts so that an enemy warrior could not cut the wooden handle. Some axes even had all-metal handles. Look up maul in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Stone axes have been in use since at least the 3rd millennium BC, see Battle-axe people. They were followed by copper, bronze, iron and steel axes. The name Battle-axe people (corded ware culture) identifies widely-scattered late Neolithic sites in Europe (3rd millennium BCE). ...

In the eastern Mediterranean the double-bladed labrys axe was prevalent, and the sagaris, described as either single or double bladed became associated with the mythological Amazons, though these were generally ceremonial rather than practical tools. Minoan symbolic labrys of gold, 2nd millennium BC: many have been found in the sacred cave of Arkalochori on Crete) Labrys is the term for a doubleheaded axe, known to the Classical Greeks as pelekus πέλεκυς or sagaris (the term for a single-bladed axe being hēmipelekus half-pelekus, e. ... Sagaris was the Greek name for a weapon used by Scythian tribes (Hdt. ... The Amazons (in Greek, ) were a mythical ancient nation of all-female warriors. ...

Battle axes were also common in Northern Europe in the "Viking Age" (9th and 10th C) and up to the 16 Century. See Viking Age arms and armour. Viking Age is the term denoting the years from about 800 to 1066 in Scandinavian History[1][2][3]. // The Vikings have been much maligned in European history, due in large part to their violent attacks on Christians in the first centuries of their excursions out of Scandinavia. ... Our knowledge about arms and armour of the Viking age (8th to 11th centuries Europe) is based on relatively sparse archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in the 13th century. ...

Most medieval European battle axes had broad, socketed heads (meaning that the axe head has an opening into which the haft is inserted.), and some included long strips of metal (langets) along the haft to prevent the haft from being damaged during battle. Many polearms, such as halberds and poleaxes, are variations of the form of the battle axe. The axes had fallen out of favor among knights and nobility, and were replaced by swords. However, when armor designed to defeat swords appeared, simpler weapons were employed. The mace could crush though armor and damage the tissue underneath. The battle-axe took this one step further, by concentrating the weight on a wedge it crushed through armor and easily cut flesh. ... Swedish halberds from 16th century A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. ... A bardiche or long poleaxe is a type of polearm that was used during times of war in medieval Europe. ... A development of the club, a mace consists of a strong, heavy wooden, metal-reinforced, or metal shaft, with a head made of stone, copper, bronze, iron or steel. ...

In Napoleonic times and later, equine specialists, or Farriers in military service carried heavy long axes. Though these could be used for fighting, their primary use was logistical. The branded hooves of horses were removed to prove that they had died. Napoleon's Pioneer Corps also carried axes that were used for both clearing a path and fighting. Combatants Austria[a] Portugal Prussia[a] Russia[b] Sicily[c] Sardinia  Spain[d]  Sweden[e] United Kingdom French Empire Holland[f] Italy Etruria[g] Naples[h] Duchy of Warsaw[i] Confederation of the Rhine[j] Bavaria Saxony Westphalia Württemberg Denmark-Norway[k] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack... French farrier of Haras nationaux Italian farrier at work A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of a horses hoof so as to fit shoes to the horses foot. ... The Royal Pioneer Corps was a British Army combattant corps used for light engineering tasks. ...

Horseman's Axe, ca. 1475

This is an example of a battle axe that was specialized for the use of horsemen. Note the hole on the haft for the accommodation of a leather strap to be passed over the wrist, the belt hook for ease of carrying when not in use and the langets. This example dates from the last quarter of the fifteenth century and is 69 cm (27 inches) long. The haft is a replacement. The punched decoration on the blade suggests German manufacture. Other variations of this design include a hammer face instead of the spike behind the blade. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (945x512, 173 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (945x512, 173 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

A good reference, contemporary with their use, is the Maciejowski Bible of ca. 1250. The Israelites are repulsed from Hai (fol. ...

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External links

• Spotlight: The Medieval Poleaxe (myArmoury.com article)
• The Hammer Museum The Hammer Museum has a number of battle axes/hammers on display.

See also

• Tomahawk
• Danish axe
• Sagaris
• Labrys
• Francisca
• Fasces
• Viking Age arms and armour
• Parashurama
• Tabar Zin