Halberd

Halberd

The Halberd is a two-handed staff weapon that came into prominent use in the 14th and 15th Centuries. It was the Mid-Range weapon of both the Knight and Vlad the Impaler. Cortes had an Alabarda (Spanish translation of Halberd), which had a lighter design and longer pike compared to the medieval era halberds.

Description

The head of the halberd combined an ax with a long metal spike and either a hooked fluke or a hammer. It was mounted on a long wooden shaft with metal rims called langets down the side to protect the handle.

Uses

The Halberd could be used to chop with ax-side, smash with the hammer-side or thrust with the spike. The weapon could also be used to hook opposing riders from horseback if it has a hook-side, and the shaft could be used for blocking. This weapon gained much popularity because of it's reach and versatility.