![]() ![]() The head was used in three ways, either to pierce armor with its pickaxe part, bludgeon with its hammer side or poke with the spear head, making it a very versatile weapon on the battlefield. Resembling a pickaxe, a hammer or an ice axe, the war hammer was used in the later part of the Medieval Ages as a means to counter armored opponents, as maces became fundamental for all armies alongside swords in close quarter combat. ![]() In weight it varied between 1 and 2 kilograms. It allowed deep cuts to be inflicted, penetrating somewhere between 20 centimeters and 30 centimeters, while the shaft was typically 90 centimeters to 1 meter and 10 centimeters. The head was in the shape of either the letter L or the letter M. ![]() The Dane axe had its head made out of carbon steel, while its shaft was typically made out of wood, being finely engraved as long as the wielder could afford it. Due to its long reach, it could kill, wound or incapacitate as well. Used during the 10th and the 11th century mostly, it was at times the decisive factor on the battlefield, as it would easily break shields or grip them with its head, thus allowing the wielder to disarm his foe. This weapon gave the rise of popularity to the two-handed weapons in Europe. Weighting 1.1 kilogram precisely, the entire sword’s length was 90 centimeters while the blade itself was 75 centimeters. Additionally, the handle was wrapped in leather scraps for an easier use. The hilt was made out of iron, the blade out of steel. First it was made out of iron for general use, but was later made out of steel, while gold and silver were used for ceremonial versions of the sword, like coronations, knighting, celebrations and festivals. This sword had seen most of the battles and wars Europe had been ravaged by, as well as actions in the Holy Land, Asia Minor and Northern Africa. The staple sword for the knights of the High Middle Ages was simply referred to as the knightly sword. The Normans paved the way for the knight class to be formed, so due to all this, the Viking sword was replaced with the Arming sword. The end was approaching for the Viking Age. The blade itself on the other hand, had 70 centimeters to 90 centimeters length. ![]() The entire swords’ length from the beginning of the hilt to the end of the blade was somewhere between 84 centimeters to 1 meter and 5 centimeters. The sword itself weighted around 1 kilogram. The grip handle was wrapped around with leather for the wielder’s easier and tighter grasp. Iron was the metal this sword was made out of while the hilt itself was either finely engraved wood layered with metal, bronze, copper or in rare cases iron. Deriving its look based on the late Roman Empire’s spatha, the Viking sword was forged by the northerners of the Scandinavian peninsula, who by seafaring, raided the mainland of Europe, the British Isles, the Balkan Peninsula, Minor Asia, the Levant and parts of northern Africa. ![]()
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