A variety of polearms consisting of morning stars, halberds, partisans, spontoons, war scythes, and a ranseur in the centerEvolution of various European polearms from the 13th to 18th centuries
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee weapons, with a subclass of spear-like designs fit for thrusting and/or throwing. Because many polearms were adapted from agricultural implements or other fairly abundant tools, and contained relatively little metal, they were cheap to make and readily available. When belligerents in warfare had a poorer class who could not pay for dedicated military weapons, they would often appropriate tools as cheap weapons. The cost of training was comparatively low, since these conscripted farmers had spent most of their lives using these "weapons" in the fields. This made polearms the favoured weapon of peasant levies and peasant rebellions the world over.
Polearms can be divided into three broad categories: those designed for extended reach and thrusting tactics used in pike square or phalanx combat; those designed to increase leverage (due to hands moving freely on a pole) to maximize angular force (swinging tactics) against cavalry; and those designed for throwing tactics used in skirmish line combat. The hook on weapons such as the halberd was used for pulling or grappling tactics, especially against horsemen. Because of their versatility, high effectiveness and low cost, there were many variants of polearm, which were much-used weapons on the battlefield. Bills, picks, dane axes, spears, glaives, guandaos, pudaos, pikes, poleaxes, halberds, harpoons, sovnyas, tridents, naginatas, bardiches, war scythes, and lances are all varieties of polearms.
Polearms were common weapons on post-classical battlefields of Asia and Europe. Their range and impact force made them effective weapons against armoured warriors on horseback, unhorsing the opponent and to some extent effective to penetrate armour. The Renaissance saw a plethora of varieties. Polearms in modern times are largely constrained to ceremonial military units such as the Papal Swiss Guard or Yeomen of the Guard, or traditional martial arts. Chinese martial arts in particular have preserved a wide variety of weapons and techniques.
A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood...
The three most common types of Chinese polearms are the ge (戈), qiang (槍), and ji (戟). They are translated into English as dagger-axe, spear, and halberd...
poleaxe (also pollaxe, pole-axe, pole axe, poleax, polax) is a European polearm that was used by medieval infantry. Most etymological authorities consider...
Many of the polearms used in Scotland up to the beginning of the 16th century were similar to those used in other parts of the world; however, a number...
halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge) is a two-handed polearm that came to prominent use from the 13th to 16th centuries. The halberd...
The Lucerne hammer (/luˈsɜːrn/ loo-SURN) is a type of polearm which was popular in Swiss armies during the 15th to 17th centuries. It was a combination...
The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades (nihontō). Naginata were originally used by the...
A war scythe or military scythe is a form of polearm with a curving single-edged blade with the cutting edge on the concave side of the blade. Its blade...
bardiche /bɑːrˈdiːʃ/, berdiche, bardische, bardeche, or berdish is a type of polearm used from the 14th to 17th centuries in Europe. Ultimately a descendant...
A fauchard is a type of polearm which was used in Europe from the 11th through the 17th centuries. In later use fauchards became ornamental and ceremonial...
A sovnya (Russian: совня) is a traditional polearm used in Russia. Similar to the glaive, the sovnya had a curved, single-edged blade mounted on the end...
A spetum is a polearm that was used in Europe during the 13th century. Other names include chauve souris, corseca, corsèsque, korseke, runka, and rawcon...
de corbin (Modern French: Bec de corbeau, [bɛk də kɔʁ.bo]) is a type of polearm and war hammer that was popular in late medieval Europe. The name is Old...
A guandao is a type of Chinese polearm that is used in some forms of Chinese martial arts. In Chinese, it is properly called a yanyuedao (偃月刀; lit. "reclining...
A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is...
distinctive design and versatile combat applications. It is similar to other polearms such as the war scythe, the Japanese naginata, the Chinese guandao, the...
azagaie; Spanish: azagaya; Italian: zagaglia; Middle English: lancegay) is a polearm used for throwing, usually a light spear or javelin made up of a wooden...
A ranseur, also called roncone, was a polearm similar to the partisan used in Europe up to the 15th century. It was still seen in court as a ceremonial...
A man catcher, also known as catchpole, is a type of polearm. It was used in Europe as late as the 18th century.[citation needed] The European design...
elasticity. Ancient Macedonian military Hellenistic armies Dory (spear) Kontos Polearm Sarissa Markle 1977, p. 324. Markle, Minor M. (1977). "The Macedonian Sarissa...
defense against cavalry and as a pike against infantry. Like most other polearms of the time, it consisted of two parts: shaft and blade. The shaft was...
A guisarme (sometimes gisarme, giserne or bisarme) is a polearm used in Europe primarily between 1000 and 1400. Its origin is likely Germanic, from the...
atgeir, sometimes called a "mail-piercer" or "hewing-spear", was a type of polearm in use in Viking Age Scandinavia and Norse colonies in the British Isles...
(also spelled vouge, sometimes called a couteau de breche) is a type of polearm that existed in medieval Europe, primarily in 15th century France. A voulge...
may fit more than one category (e.g. the spear may be used either as a polearm or as a projectile), and the earliest gunpowder weapons which fit within...
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