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The Lucerne hammer is a type of polearm which was popular in Swiss armies during the 15th to 17th centuries. It was a combination of the bec de corbin with a blunt war hammer.
Name
The name comes from a discovery of many of these weapons in Lucerne, Switzerland.[1]
Design
The hammer-part of the Lucerne hammer is a three-to-four-pronged head mounted atop a 2 m (7 foot)-long polearm stick. It bears a long spike on its reverse, and an even longer spike extending from the top.
Use
The Lucerne hammer requires both hands for effective handling. As a modified polearm, Lucerne hammers have multiple functions in battle. The forward-pointing spike could be used for spearing, while the hammer proved effective at puncturing or smashing armour. Like many other polearms, the Lucerne hammer was also used for dismounting the enemy. The long pole could provide a swing of the hammer with a good deal of torque, resulting in tremendous force upon impact.
See also
- Swiss arms and armour
References
- ^ Oakeshott, Ewart (1980). European Weapons and Armour. Guildford and London: Lutterworth Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-7188-2126-2.
External links
- Spotlight: The Medieval Poleaxe, by Alexi Goranov