There is no end to the multitude of close combat weapons, from swords to spears, scythes, pikes, maces, glaives, flails, partisans, and hundreds more. Often designed to inflict the greatest damage possible, historical combat weapons are both terrifying and impressive.
Chinese steel weapon, c. 18th century (Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
Italian fauchard, c. 1525 AD. This is a weapon developed from an agricultural tool, the pruning hook, with which a farmer would lop off unwanted branches on his fruit tress. It was particularly popular in western European countries ( Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
Mace Made for Henry II of France, c. 1540 AD. It is decorated with tiny multifigured battle scenes in gold and silver ( Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
16th Century Hunting Knife Combined with Wheellock Pistol. Wheellock pistols sometimes were combined with swords, knives, axes, maces, spears, and even crossbows, which could be used in the event the pistol misfired ( Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
Partisan Carried by the Bodyguard of Louis XIV (1638–1715). It bears the king’s motto and sunburst above the crowned arms of France and Navarre, which are encircled by the collars of the royal orders of the Holy Spirit and Saint Michael ( Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain)
An Italian glaive, c. 18th century. A glaive is a European polearm, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. They were sometimes forged with a…
