15th century war hammer, horseman's pick, semi-sharp

Product description

This type of war hammer is also known as a cavalry hammer, as it proved highly effective against armoured mounted opponents. War hammers of this kind appeared in the second half of the 15th century and were employed mainly in Italy, France, and Germany. The weapon featured a hammerhead with a long spike, similar to a miner's chisel, and could pierce armour where a sword would fail. Variants such as the Polish nadziak and the English cavalry hammer were popular amongst cavalry, including during the Hundred Years' War.

The advantages lay in its power and armour-piercing ability; the drawbacks were its weight, unwieldiness, and the risk of the spike becoming lodged. Nevertheless, a single strike could break open a helmet or breastplate and incapacitate an opponent. The war hammer was a weapon of the elite. Only mounted cavalry could afford such a weapon, enabling them to destroy parts of an opponent's armour from horseback. It was therefore primarily a close-combat weapon. In the 16th century, cavalry hammers also became status symbols, decorated with patterns or monograms. However, with the advent of firearms, their practical use declined. In Hungary, they remained in use for a short period, but by the 17th century they had been entirely replaced by the bayonet.

The war hammer is crafted from wood and fitted with a leather grip. An excellent melee weapon for medieval collectors, it is well-suited to reenactment battles and late-medieval reenactments.