What is the difference between a battle ax and a regular one. What is an axe? The most famous facts about the battle ax. Scandinavian and Slavic axes

An ax is a weapon of war and peace: they can chop both firewood and heads equally well! Today we will talk about which axes won fame for themselves and were the most popular among warriors of all times and peoples.

A battle ax can be very different: one-handed and two-handed, with one and even with two blades. With a relatively light warhead (not heavier than 0.5-0.8 kg) and a long (from 50 cm) ax handle, this has an impressive penetrating power - it's all about the small area of ​​​​contact of the cutting edge with the surface, as a result of which all the impact energy is concentrated at one point. Axes were often used against heavily armored infantry and cavalry: the narrow blade is perfectly wedged into the joints of the armor and, with a successful hit, can cut through all layers of protection, leaving a long bleeding cut on the body.

Combat modifications of axes have been widely used all over the world since ancient times: even before the metal era, people carved ax handles from stone - despite the fact that quartz stess is not inferior in sharpness to a scalpel! The evolution of the ax is diverse, and today we will consider the top five most impressive battle axes of all time:

Ax

Brodex - Scandinavian war ax

A distinctive feature of the ax is a crescent-shaped blade, the length of which can reach 30-35 cm. A heavy piece of sharpened metal on a long shaft made sweeping blows incredibly effective: often it was the only way to somehow break through heavy armor. The wide blade of the ax could act as an impromptu harpoon pulling the rider from the saddle. The warhead was tightly driven into the eye and fixed there with rivets or nails. Roughly speaking, the ax is common name for a number of subspecies of battle axes, some of which we will discuss below.

The most furious dispute that accompanies the ax from the moment it was formidable weapon Hollywood fell in love - this, of course, is the question of the existence of double-edged axes. Of course, on the screen, this miracle weapon looks very impressive and, coupled with a ridiculous helmet adorned with a pair of sharp horns, completes the look of a brutal Scandinavian. In practice, the “butterfly” blade is too massive, which creates a very large inertia upon impact. Often, a sharp spike was located on the back of the warhead of the ax; however, Greek axes-labrys with two wide blades are also known - weapons for the most part ceremonial, but still more or less suitable for real combat.

Valashka

National hatchet of the highlanders who inhabited the Carpathians. A narrow wedge-shaped knob protruding strongly forward, the butt of which often represented a forged muzzle of an animal or was simply decorated with carved ornaments. Valashka, thanks to the long handle, is a staff, a cleaver, and a battle ax. Such a tool was practically indispensable in the mountains and was a status sign of a sexually mature married man, head of the family.

The name of the ax comes from Wallachia - a historical region in the south of modern Romania, the patrimony of the legendary Vlad III Tepes. It migrated to Central Europe in the XIV-XVII centuries and became an invariable shepherd's attribute. Starting from the 17th century, the Wallachka gained popularity at the behest of popular uprisings and received the status of a full-fledged military weapons.

Berdysh

The berdysh is distinguished from other axes by a very wide blade shaped like an elongated crescent. At the lower end of a long pole (the so-called ratovishcha) an iron tip (inflow) was fixed - with it the weapon rested on the ground at the parade and during the siege. In Rus', the berdysh in the 15th century played the same role as the Western European halberd. The long shaft made it possible to keep a great distance between the opponents, and the blow of the sharp half-moon blade was truly terrible. Unlike many other axes, the berdysh was effective not only as a chopping weapon: the sharp end could stab, and the wide blade repelled blows well, so the shield was unnecessary for the skilled owner of the berdysh.

The berdysh was also used in equestrian combat. The berdysh of equestrian archers and dragoons were smaller in comparison with infantry samples, and on the shaft of such a berdysh there were two iron rings so that the weapon could be hung on a belt.

Polex

Polex appeared in Europe around the 15th-16th centuries and was intended for foot combat. According to a scattered historical source, there were many variants of this weapon. Distinctive feature there was always a long spike at the top and often at the lower end of the weapon, but the shape of the warhead varied: there was a heavy ax blade, and a hammer with a counterweight spike, and much more.

Metal flats can be seen on the shaft of the poleax. These are the so-called langets, which provide the shaft with additional protection against cutting. Sometimes you can find rondels - special discs protecting the hands. Poleks is not only a combat weapon, but also a tournament weapon, and therefore additional protection, even reducing combat effectiveness, looks justified. It is worth noting that, unlike the halberd, the pommel of the poleaxe was not one-piece forged, but its parts were attached to each other with bolts or pins.

Bearded Ax

The "classic", "grandfather's" ax came to us from the north of Europe. The name itself is most likely Scandinavian in origin: the Norwegian word Skeggox consists of two words: skegg (beard) and ox (axe) - now you can show off your knowledge of Old Norse on occasion! characteristic feature axes are the straight upper edge of the warhead and the blade drawn down. This form gave the weapon not only chopping, but also cutting properties; in addition, the "beard" allowed to take weapons with a double grip, in which one hand was protected by the blade itself. In addition, the notch reduced the weight of the ax - and, given the short handle, the fighters with this weapon did not rely on strength, but on speed.

Such an ax, like its many relatives, is a tool for both domestic work and combat. For the Norwegians, whose light boats did not allow them to take excess luggage with them (after all, there was still room for the loot!), Such versatility played a very important role.

Hello dear readers! Today I would like to continue the topic "Battle axes" and describe to you about such an instance from this series as an ax. Let's talk about its characteristics and functionality. And also about several varieties of axes common in Asia and Europe.

Ax - one of the varieties of a battle ax, is considered a chopping melee weapon. Characteristically differs from other axes in the blade in the form of a crescent, pointed along the convex part. It takes its roots from ancient times.

common in Ancient Greece the ax called "labrys" instead of the butt had a symmetrical second blade, like a butterfly. Historians write that weapons of the same form were common among the peoples of Asia and the Romans.

The ax was also known in many countries of Europe and in Rus'. It was used in most cases by infantry to pull horsemen off their horses and break through heavy armor. For this, a strong and long spike, sometimes bent down, was located on the butt side of the ax.

Judging by the name, we can say that the ax is an ax, only the shaft itself is slightly longer. But there is a difference - it's a balance. The balance of the ax gives its owner a good freedom of movement. The ax is used due to its weight, like a hammer or mace.

In most cases, the ax differs from axes in that it can deliver stabbing blows, respectively, the ax would have to complete the feather, pointed forward, such as a halberd. In Asia, skilled martial artists preferred to wield an ax rather than an ax, since in good hands, the ax is capable of a lot. Judging by its appearance, we can say that this is a hybrid between a spear and a sword.

Characteristics of the ax

Ax consists of a shaft, a blade and a counterweight at the end of the shaft. The shaft of the ax consists of an ordinary stick, sometimes with a winding to prevent hands from slipping along the shaft. The length of the shaft depends on the method of use: for infantry up to 2.5 meters, "combat halberd"; for cavalry 70 - 80 centimeters, "horse axes"; for boarding ships up to 3 meters, "boarding halberd".

The warhead was pushed into the eye and fixed on the shaft with nails or rivets. The blade of the ax has very many types and forms, but in most cases it looked like a month-shaped blade, not far away from the shaft itself.

Since, the more the blade moved away from the shaft, the more the balance of the ax was lost, in turn, the possibility of fencing techniques. And if one side is heavier than the other, such an ax will be very difficult to wield.

The use of "butterfly" axes showed that it was difficult to strike with such an ax, the ax itself turned out to be very heavy and there was a very large inert force upon impact. There were also such axes, where the blade exceeded the shaft itself and served as a counterweight to itself.

Often the front of the blade was sharpened so that it was possible to inflict stabbing blows, although in several types of ax a kind of spike serves for this. Very often there is a gap between the blade and the spike or the blade and the shaft, which is used to capture the opponent's blade, but for this one must perfectly master the fencing techniques of the ax.

On the opposite side of the blade, where the butt is located, a hook is used in some types of axes. It is used for various purposes, such as: grab the wall or side of the ship, throw the rider off the horse, and much more.

The chopping part of the ax varies in length from 10 centimeters to a blade equal in length to the xiphoid blade. There is a protrusion at the bottom of the ax blade, below the fastener itself, it is called a pigtail and is used to better fasten the blade itself to the shaft.

The counterweight is a simple metal knob or spike that was used to rest on the ground, but it could also deliver an imperceptible blow. Without a counterweight, with an ax it would be very difficult to manage.

Ax functionality

The functionality of the ax allows you to use it as a spear, the difference between them is only in length, and of course the balance will not allow you to throw the ax like a spear. In a one-on-one fight, the ax has many advantages over other types of melee weapons.

With an ax, you can pull a warrior off a horse or strike at the lower limbs, unprotected by a shield. If, for example, spears were used in defense, axes and swords in attack, then axes were the golden mean between them. Although many armies used detachments of axes to protect the flanks, using pikemen in the center.

Since axes were common in many countries of Europe and Asia, in each country the battle ax looked different and was used, depending on the shape of the blade, for different purposes. But still, let's try to deal with each of them separately.

Halberd

The halberd is a melee polearm with a combined tip. The tip is a needle spear point up to one meter long and can be either round or faceted. The tip of the halberd itself sometimes had a hook. A small ax blade on one side, and on the other, a pointed butt is placed.

The advantages of the halberd were demonstrated to Europe in the XIV century, thanks to the Italian and Swiss mercenaries, who showed all the advantages of this ax in battle against knightly cavalry. In Flanders, the halberd was given the name "godenac".

The halberd was in service with many European countries from the 13th to the 17th century, but it became most widespread in the 15th-16th centuries as the most effective weapon against armored cavalry. The shaft of the halberd reached 2 - 2.5 meters and the weight was from 2.5 to 5.5 kilograms.

The halberds differed only in the shape and size of the axe. The ax blade could be: flat or crescent, narrow or wide, concave or convex, in the form of an ax or chasing, the number of hooks.

But there were also halberds that did not have a spear point and looked like an ordinary ax on a long shaft. By the 15th century, the halberd had finally formed and looked like: a narrow hatchet on one side, and on the other, a curved and pointed headband, a large needle point, on one side a shaft, and on the other hand, a small knob or a small point for better sticking into the ground .

In battle, there was no armor that the halberd could not break through with its tip, with an ax or butt, crushing - chopping blows were applied, a rider was pulled off a horse with a hook or ships were pulled during boarding. Also, boarding halberds were equipped with a large hook for better grip and an elongated shaft (up to 3 meters).

The name of the ax comes from the English word "broad ax", meaning - a wide ax. The broad-blade ax has a wide trapezoidal blade. The most common brodex became in X-XI centuries, in the Baltics and Scandinavia.

On the territory of Rus', judging by the archaeological finds, there were practically none. Brodex had a characteristic rounded blade. Brodexes can be divided by appearance, with one-sided and two-sided sharpening. Double-sided brodexes were battle axes, but they were very heavy and inconvenient in terms of striking.

But later they were used, the executions that existed in the era of the New Age, the executioners chopped off their heads with such axes. Brodexes with one-sided sharpening, on the contrary, were not combat, but were used in agriculture. For example, due to their large flat surface, it was easy for them to process the surface of a fallen tree, beam or beam.

Berdysh

Berdysh is a cold weapon, like an ax - axes. The origin of the ax has not been sorted out, and to this day, some believe that it went from French word"bardiche", others from the Polish "berdysz".

The blade is curved, resembling a crescent moon, worn on a long shaft, reaching up to 180 centimeters. They also said "ratovishche" on the staff. The blunt part of the ax blade had a hole for mounting on the rattove, and, as in an ordinary ax, it is called a butt, the opposite edge of the blade is also called stupid, and the end of the blade pulled down is called pigtail.

The ratovishche was attached to the metal, sitting on the butt and nailed or riveted, and the pigtail was tied with a strap. To nail the shaft to the butt, wells were made in it, their number could reach up to 7.

Pigtail they were also first nailed with several nails, and a rope or strap was still wound on top. In some cases, a thin strap on each turn was fixed with a small stud. On the lower part of the shaft, a metal tip was mounted, the so-called "flow", designed to better stop the reed into the ground.

subflow used in firing muskets, but also in parade formation. There are reeds in which small holes were made on the blade itself all over the canvas and rings were inserted into them. Thanks to this experiment, berdysh appeared, which were used by the cavalry. The berdysh of equestrian archers were much smaller than the axes of foot soldiers.

There were two metal rings for the shoulder strap on the ratovishe, so that it would be more convenient for the rider to use the reed. Riders began to use berdysh less and less often, since with the lightening of armor, swords became relevant, and later sabers.

Lochaberakst or Lochaber ax in English means "Lochaber axe" and takes its roots from the name of the territory in Scotland, called Lochaber. Outwardly, lochaberakst is very similar to a reed.

Ax consists of an iron blade with two eyes into which the shaft itself is inserted, about one and a half meters long. The length of the blade itself reached 50 centimeters and had both a flat surface and a wavy one.

The upper end of the ax was in the form of a crescent and sharpened so that it would be possible to inflict stabbing blows. On the eyes there could be a hook for pulling warriors from the cavalry. The Lochaber ax was used by both cavalry and infantry and was a very versatile and effective battle ax.

Studying history, it can be assumed that the lochaberakst, due to its functionality, was modernized into a halberd around the 15th century. But in Scotland they were relevant until the 18th century.

Sakravor translated from Armenian "Սակրավոր" , came from the word sakur, meaning an ax. In the ancient Armenian army, the soldiers were mainly armed with axes. From the name of the ax came the very name of the warriors - sacravor.

But since the warriors were very functional, their equipment also included other axes, military trench shovels. Sakravors were engaged in laying roads, cutting down forests, building bridges, setting up military camps, trenches, haravands "խարավանդ" and much more.

It was also the responsibility of the sacravores to monitor the "gumak" - a convoy of horses, oxen, carrying ammunition, food, camp supplies. In our time, you can hear in the Armenian army that they say sakravor to sappers. From which it follows that even in those days, the first multifunctional sappers appeared.

The Scandinavian ax is a medieval polearm. The Scandinavian ax differed from most axes in that it had a wide blade, symmetrically diverging in different directions. The ax was very thin, it had side cheeks.

The thickness of the blade itself was about 2 millimeters, having a sleeve at the end, the width of the sleeve was 2.5 centimeters, and the length was 3.5 centimeters. The blade blade was also large, its width was 17 - 18 centimeters, and the length was also 17 - 18 centimeters.

For you to understand, it was not a square, since the blade diverged symmetrically in different directions. The weight of the ax without the shaft was about 450 grams, and the shaft reached a length of up to 120 centimeters. The ax takes its roots from its name - Scandinavia.

Due to their Norman influence, the Scandinavians introduced the ax to Europe in the 10th - 11th centuries, in Rus' such axes appeared only in the second half of the 10th century, and full-scale use began only in the 11th century. If in Rus' in the XII - XIII century, axes began to lose their popularity, then in Europe, on the contrary, they are used very massively.

During the XII - XIII centuries, axes undergo all kinds of modifications, such as: a spike is added, like a halberd, the length of the shaft itself increases. One of these modifications will polex . At the same time, an unmodified version of the ax is also used: as proof, they were used in Ireland and Scotland until the 16th century.

Polex

The Polex is a modified Scandinavian axe, considered a European polearm. In the XV - XVI centuries, the polex became one of the most widely used melee weapons for foot soldiers. Like all axes, the polex was also divided into a shaft, up to two meters long and a metal blade.

On the top of the polex blade there was a needle spike, on some axes such a spike was also placed in the lower part of the shaft. On the pole itself there were iron strips "langets" descending on both sides of the blade head to the bottom and were used to protect the blade from cutting.

There were poles with protection for the hands, such protection was called "rondel". But the most important difference in the polex was that all parts of the blade were assembled on bolts or pins, it was possible to replace the failed part with a new one. Because of this, it was very popular, since halberds at that time were solid forged.

The siege knife is a polearm. Its purpose was to cut and stab. It looked like both a halberd and a glaive, but it had a large shaft, about 3 meters.

The wedge-shaped tip had a wide cutting surface on one side and a large hook on the other, designed to cling to the fortress walls and climb the same walls with a knife. It was used mainly in Germany and was relevant until the 18th century.

Guizarma

Translated from Italian "guisarme" means guisarma, guisarma, guisarma . It is very similar to a halberd with a long narrow, slightly curved point, the blade of which is straight, with a branch pointed at the end. The first branch is long and straight, and the other branch is a slightly curved spike.

The thorn and the blade are placed at a decent distance from each other, according to the type of guizarama, one can say that its progenitors were ordinary agricultural pitchforks. The guizarama is the only European ax designed primarily for spectacular strikes.

Chopping blows with an ax were used primarily against horses, cutting their tendons, but it was also possible to pull off the rider himself. Such a specific weapon appeared in the 11th century, but the final result was formed only at the end of the 14th century.

Glaive

Translated from French "glaive" means glaive, glaive . The glaive is a polearm designed for close combat and was used only by infantry. It consists of a tip about 60 centimeters long, 5 - 7 centimeters wide and has a shaft about one and a half meters long.

Metal tape was often wound around the shaft itself to strengthen it from cutting, or rivets were applied for the same purpose. The tip is shaped like a blade, but sharpened only on one side of the wide "falcyon".

From the side of the so-called butt of the tip, a spike branches parallel to the tip, bent at a small angle. The functions of the spike included grabbing the weapon when repelling a blow from above, as well as delivering more powerful and effective piercing blows that pierce the enemy’s armor.

Since the tip itself could only deliver chopping blows, the glaive was mainly used as a chopping weapon. At the end of the shaft, there was also a tip, but in most cases it was used as a balance. Although, sometimes they also inflicted tricky blows or finished off the wounded.

Many believe that the glaive is the most ordinary scythe, only straightened and put on the shaft, as if continuing it, with the tip forward. Since the glaive is a relatively light ax, functional, it began to be used in France and Germany as early as the 15th century, but the use required special skills.

There were many modifications of the glaive, for example: a wide, ax-like tip on one side of the shaft and a spherical counterweight on the end; or on both sides of the shaft, there were identical, sharp, narrow, long blades.

All modifications cannot be counted, but I will point out several analogues of the glaive in other countries, for example:

• German "halberd"
• Polish "berdysh"
• Indian "bhuj"
• Japanese "nagamaki" and "naginata"
• Chinese "guandao"
• and, of course, "owl" from Rus'

In conclusion, I would like to say that the ax was so functional that many countries and continents had their own axes, each country made its own modernization of the ax, so it is impossible and problematic to list them in one article. But in the future, I will write about battle axes, which I have not yet paid my attention to. So, stay tuned for new posts about battle axes! It will be boring!

An ax is a thing known to almost everyone and everyone as a very useful tool for peaceful creative work. We will also talk about another incarnation of the ax - combat. And of course, the entire text will be illustrated with pictures, where there are a lot of axes and people with (and without) axes...

Intermediate position between purely percussion weapon and blade (chopping-cutting-piercing) is occupied by a large group of shock-chopping weapons. Under this name, all varieties of battle axes are hidden. As a means of cutting down trees and heads of the enemy, the ax has been known since ancient times, since the Stone Age.

The sharp cleavage of the ax provided not a simple blow, but penetration, clearly marking the chopping side.

The ax is probably the most typical example of a household tool that has turned into a weapon. This explains its wide distribution and presence among almost all peoples before the advent of such purely combat weapons as the sword. But even after the spread of the sword, the battle ax, especially in the West, was perhaps his main rival.

Making an ax is much easier than a sword. It is more multifunctional. At close range, it can also be used as a throwing weapon that easily breaks through enemy defenses. The power of a chopping blow with an ax is very high due to its large mass and relatively short blade length compared to a sword.

The corners of the blade can not only cling to the enemy, but also inflict poke blows on him. As a warhead, a butt can also work, and its handle can end with a knob or a point.

The ax can be used with one or two hands. The ability to take it with a wide grip gives its owner advantages in close combat. The ax is very effective against an armored opponent. They, like a club, can simply wash the armor if it was not possible to cut through it, stun the enemy, stun him. In general, the penetrating power of the ax is very high.

You can classify battle axes into two main categories - the length of the handle, which determines overall size weapons, and the shape of an ax blade. The handle comes in three basic sizes. An ax with a long handle, which is already a pole weapon, is designed mainly for combat with an equestrian enemy.

A two-handed ax or a large ax with a handle length of up to one meter is held with both hands both at the end and with a wide grip, which makes it possible to block some of the blows with the handle, strike and beat with the second end, which is often equipped with a blade or tip.

With a wide grip, the second hand is usually directly under the blade and is often covered by its curved part. This length of the handle allows you to drastically change the distance of the battle and use the ax as a weapon for a horseman, who, holding it with one hand by the end, can “get” an infantryman. Compared to a sword of similar length, such an ax is much more useful in close combat and in cramped conditions in general, such as in small rooms or narrow corridors.

A short or so-called hand ax, the length of the handle of which does not exceed the length of the forearm, can be used both in pairs, and as a weapon for the left hand, and as a throwing weapon. In such battle axes, the handle may end with a thickening or knob so that the weapon does not slip out of the hand during strong chopping blows and rotations, and also as a stop for the hand holding the ax during pulling blows.

Holding such an ax directly under the blade, they can strike with brass knuckles. As for the shape of the blade, we will consider three main types. Actually, the ax usually has a fairly straight blade, bending down a little more than up - this enhances the blow from top to bottom and partially covers the hand. The width is equal to or greater than the length of the blade.

This is especially evident in the early forms of the ax, where the emphasis was mainly on its cutting, piercing abilities. Such axes had a very elongated (from the butt to the blade) shape, and the width of the ax could even be twice the length of its blade.

The ax has a clearly defined semicircular, moon-shaped blade, the length of which is usually greater than its width.

This shape of the blade somewhat reduces the penetrating power of the weapon, but increases its ability to poke strikes with an upper angle and makes it possible to perform not only chopping, but also chopping with a pull ("breaking") strikes.

We will call that form of an ax where the upper end sharply protrudes forward, turning it almost into a piercing and cutting weapon, although the classic reed, which also provides complete protection for the second hand, since the lower part of its tip is adjacent to the handle , found only in Russia and Poland.

Finally, an ax with a blade tapering towards the end, having a triangular or dagger-like shape, we will call a pick. The technique of working with them is similar to working with chasing, but it also allows undercutting blows due to the presence of a blade.

The ax can be single-sided or double-sided. In the first case, its side, opposite to the blade, is called the butt and can be equipped with an additional hook or spike.

In the second, the ax blades are located on both sides of it and, as a rule, have the same size and shape. The technique of their work allows them to cut in two directions without turning the blade, and also to easily perform “meeting”, similar to poke, strikes forward, aimed at repelling direct attacks.

The ax is equally common on all continents, but the technique of working with it has reached greatest development in Europe, where it is the second weapon after the sword. On Far East the ax in its pure form was supplanted by the pick and halberd, and although both the ax and the ax are included in the list of eighteen classical types of Chinese weapons, they are used much less frequently.
The reason for its unpopularity, perhaps, is that it is less functional here, because the need to punch it heavy armor no, but other elements of his technique are successfully implemented when working with other types Eastern weapons. For example, many bends and hooks, characteristic of the European technique of working with an ax, are found in the technique of working with the Chinese and Japanese sickle.
The historical development of the form of an ax as a type of weapon looks like this. The oldest metal axes had a short handle, convenient for household use, and a narrow blade that imitated a stone ax in shape.

However, the metal point was, of course, much sharper than the stone one, and the effectiveness of its impact began to depend not so much on the amount of mass distributed along the length of the blade, but on the width of the cutting surface. This shape of the ax lengthened its handle, made it capable of chopping branches well or using it as a kind of hook, like the Canadian lumberjack ax used by rafters and lumberjacks. The long handle made it possible to better use the inertia of the movement of the weapon and made the ax a weapon not only for infantrymen, but also for horsemen. The development of the ax as a military weapon took place along the line of displacement of chopping-penetrating techniques by chopping-cutting ones. First, an ax appeared, then a reed, which is already completely unsuitable as an economic tool.

The evolution of the klevts followed a different path. A stone ax on a stick combined the functions of an ax and a knife. The main idea of ​​the klevets is a knife impaled on a stick. In the future, the knave, the penetrating qualities of which more and more intensified until it was transformed into a faceted chasing, seemed to pick up that group of techniques that faded into the background when the ax was transformed into a chopping and cutting weapon. A new attempt to combine both groups in one weapon was the combined axes, the butt of which was a chasing or klevets.

All the dynamics described above can be traced in one form or another both in the West and in the East. The ancient Egyptians were armed with axes,

them since the time Trojan War the ancient Greeks fought actively, using both an ordinary and a double-sided ax.

However, in the era of the Roman Empire, the use of an ax in the troops gradually began to fade away - the Romans, with their well-established close combat system, did not need this type of weapon. During this period, the auxiliary troops of the Italian allies or the lictor guards were armed with an ax.

The turning point came at the end of the existence of the empire, when the Roman army faced well-armed barbarian, mainly Germanic, tribes, whose favorite weapon was the battle ax - "Francis".

Outwardly, the Francis came up on an ordinary ax, but from below it had a curved bend. Her technique was percussion, and the Frankish warriors were known for their ability to cut off limbs and open skulls with their battle axes. Sometimes Francis was thrown. The ax was the symbol of the French warrior. He never parted with him during his lifetime and went to the grave with him - they laid him on the feet of the deceased.

With the development of chivalry, the ax became the second weapon after the sword. Its forms varied. Polish and German axes acquired an almost L-shaped shape, convenient for inflicting wide wounds.

In England, the ax was often used as a weapon for the second hand, holding the sword in the first. At the same time, it was possible to pick up the enemy by the leg with an ax, take his sword away, capturing him with an ax like a hook; blocking the sword with a sword, deliver a powerful blow with an ax. Throughout Europe, the ax was used in tandem with the shield.

The use of a shield made it possible, for example, by blocking the blow of a sword with it, to hook the opponent’s sword or his hand with an ax so that his sword was, as it were, sandwiched between the shield and the ax. Then, with a sharp jerk on himself, he was knocked out. And against the enemy’s shield, it was possible to hook it on the edge on a blow from top to bottom, jerk it towards you and, when the enemy opens up, poke the corner of the ax into his head. The technique of fighting with the ax of the Scandinavian Vikings was considered very good, whose battle axes looked like a cleaver, against which any armor practically did not save. And although some heroes even managed to throw such axes, which reached the warrior’s shoulder, the technique of using it was quite diverse and included not only chopping blows, but also poke beats with the upper edge of the ax.

So it was possible not only to beat off the enemy’s sword, but also to try to seriously damage his hand, and the arcuate trajectory of movement made it possible, thus neutralizing the enemy’s weapon, to easily strike him with the next movement in full force. In a close fight, the second end of the ax was also actively used, with which sensitive pokes were applied. The cavalry was chopped with a Danish-type battle ax, which also had a semicircular shape. The upper tip of this type of ax was elongated, and the handle had a slight upward bend, which increased the force of impact. They chopped with such an ax, holding it with both hands by the handle and rising on the stirrups.

The battle ax was also well known by the ancient Slavs. Archaeological excavations, especially Northern Rus', show that the number of battle axes there was two times greater than the number of swords.

The battle ax of the ancient Slavs is similar to an ordinary carpenter's ax, but often has a notch at the bottom, well covering the hand when gripping under the blade. The Slavic ax is somewhat shorter and lighter than the Scandinavian one. It, like the Scandinavian ax, has the ability to hit with an ax like brass knuckles, but since it was much lighter, it was more convenient for them to maneuver. You could even twist them with a figure eight with a grip under the blade. An iron or iron-bound handle was used not only for poking, but also for striking. The ax was armed with both foot soldiers and horsemen.

By the 15th century, the single-handed ax with a straight, often metal handle had become the main type of European battle axe. The weight of such a battle ax averaged 1.2 kg, and the length was 80-90 cm. The handle was clearly distinguished and sometimes even marked with a restrictive ring. On the butt there was a spike-punch, a hook, or most often a coinage.

The blade of an ax, combined with chasing, was usually quite thin. Such a weapon can be considered combined, it was intended for combat with various options armor. Stronger and more durable armor was pierced by chasing, weaker ones were cut through or cut through with an ax. Sometimes on the butt it ended with a platform with ledges, which is very reminiscent of a hammer for cooking chops.

The ax blade could have different shape and length. Its standard length was about 20 cm, although some types of axes, stylized as ancient samples, had a blade length of only 7-8 cm. The large ax was used much less frequently, as was the ax on a long shaft, supplanted by the halberd and its numerous varieties.

An interesting type of ax developed in the Carpathian region. Valashka...

It had a very small blade about 7 cm long and a miniature butt and served as both an ax and a cane.

This ax can be manipulated almost like a stick. Valashka was also a weapon of local robbers and, as in other regions, a symbol of dignity and wealth. Such axes were usually inlaid, decorated with carvings and precious metals. Ambassadorial axes in Rus' served as a similar symbol.

TO XVI century the ax becomes an honorary weapon or is equipped with various hidden devices. A dagger can be hidden in the ax handle, a hollow shaft can hide a sword, which is not fixed inside and flies out with a simple shake. The cricket was the crowning achievement of this invention - a hybrid of an ax with a pistol, the muzzle of which was at the end of the handle, at the blade, and the handle itself served as a barrel.

Similar axes - "mutants" were widely used in the second half of the 16th century, but by the 17th century the battle ax as a weapon had ceased to exist.

A little longer, the ax held on in Eastern Europe as a reed, turning into a long, powerful blade on a long handle, which could be easily cut, chopped and stabbed. Croatian reed with a total length of 153 cm has a blade about 50 cm long, rounded at the top like a saber. Its lower part had a complex curved shape and could serve for a variety of hooks. The Russian berdysh is a much more versatile weapon. Its rather long notch, formed by the lower end of the blade recessed into the shaft, completely protects the hand, which is very convenient to hold the shaft in this place, especially when you need to change the fighting distance.

Unlike other types of axes, it is convenient to work with a reed with a reverse grip, acting like a scythe - this is what the soldiers armed with it did, moving in the forefront of the foot soldiers and cutting the legs of the enemy. The total length of the berdysh ranged from 145 to 170 cm, and the length of its blade - from 65 to 80 cm.
The technique of working with a reed is extremely similar to working with a Chinese dadao or a Japanese naginata. The principles of fighting with a powerful blade on a long pole are largely the same, and perhaps that is why in Russian literature the name "dadao" (Chinese " big sword” or “big knife”) is translated as “berdysh”, although it has a completely different configuration and shape of attachment to the shaft.

Finishing the conversation about the berdysh, I would like to note that this form of weapon is no longer an ax and occupies an intermediate position between it and the halberd. It's a bit of a shame that such a good melee weapon appeared too late - when firearms began to replace it more and more, and the reed often served not so much as a weapon, but as a stand for a squeaker or as a ceremonial, "decorative" element adorning the guard of honor.

The ax was also known in India, where it had a short handle and a wide moon-shaped blade. The technique of their work was quite simple and was based on ordinary chopping blows.
The Japanese masakari had, as a rule, a long handle and was, in general, a pole weapon.

Warriors armed with it are found in drawings reflecting the deeds of the samurai of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), but even there this weapon is the weapon of selected warriors. The length of the shaft is up to two meters, the blade is massive and heavy, semicircular in shape, the butt is powerful.
In Korea, the battle ax was also widely used, both before the unification of the Three States (668) and after the strengthening of Chinese influence. Judging by the frescoes, the Korean battle ax was two-handed, with a massive, slightly beveled blade. A blow with such a two-handed ax easily pierced almost any armor. Over time, due to Chinese influence, the use of the ax was limited, and by the 16th century. it was preserved as a specific weapon of the Korean Navy. Axe, 16th century also two-handed, has a semicircular blade, a butt with a complex configuration with several hooks bent in different directions, and a spear point on the shaft. Immediately below the blade there are two oblique protrusions that serve as a stupor for the hand and are used to “catch” enemy weapons. The technique of working with this weapon was very diverse and already more like working with a halberd than with an ax.
In China, the battle ax was called "fu" and existed in two main functional variants. A two-handed or large ax "dafu" and a one-handed ax, used in a paired version - "shuangfu".

With a battle ax, not only ordinary chopping and cutting blows are performed, but also blocks with a butt or upper edge, as well as wide sweeping blows. In China, both infantry and cavalry were armed with an ax. Usually the blade of the rider's ax was shorter, it was easier for them to chop than to cut.

The battle ax was the weapon of many heroes of the Chinese classics. One of the most famous characters in Shi Nai'an's novel "The Backwaters" by Li Kui, the Black Whirlwind, fights with two powerful battle axes (one of the wielding systems of them is named after him), and another hero of the same novel, So Chao, fights with a long-handled battle axe, sitting on a horse.

Was an ax and martial arts weapon of Indonesia and the Philippines. The Philippine ax, the technique of which is based on the same basic movements as working with a standard stick, is a dual weapon, has a clear semicircular blade shape, both ends of which are recessed into the handle. The Malayo-Indonesian battle ax is similar in appearance to the Chinese, but its hilt often ends in a crowbar-type tip. The Malay ax is called "kapak" (and its shorter and miniature version is "kapak kesil"). The technique of working with them includes poking and chopping blows, similar to knife blows, they held it under the handle.

The ax served as the basis for the creation of other types of weapons. The combination of an ax with a spear gave rise to a halberd, an attempt to plant it on a shaft with the blade up led to the creation of a weapon of the "shovel" type,

and slightly curved and sharpened only from the inside (from below), the caliper was transformed into a combat sickle.

This review is based on the article by K. V. Asmolov "The Rival of the Sword" and an excerpt from the book by Ewart Oakeshott "The Knight and His Weapon" about axes.

By the beginning of the 12th century, the battle ax had firmly taken its place in the arsenal of truly knightly weapons, along with a spear and, of course, a sword. Although the Vikings, by that time, had already disappeared, two-handed axes for several centuries they served soldiers throughout Europe.

The axes became lighter, but practically did not change in size. Gunsmiths began to pay more attention to the butt - in some cases it became a pronounced combat element.

This handsome man was found in England, in a river flowing through Northumberland, along with the skeleton of the last owner. The date of the ax is the middle of the 13th century.

History has preserved many cases when it was battle axes that played an important role in the battle. So, on February 2, 1141, the English king Stephen, having broken his sword at the Battle of Lincoln, held the defense with a large Danish ax. And only when his shaft broke, the enemy managed to capture the king.

Two centuries later, in the summer of 1314, the battle ax of a man named .
This is the same Robert the Bruce, who became one of the heroes of the film "Braveheart", and who went down in history as the Scottish King Robert I.

Angus Macfadyen as Robert the Bruce. Shot from the film "Braveheart"

Remember the fight that ends the movie? It was the legendary battle of Bannockburn, at the very beginning of which the next episode happened.

The enemy of the Scots, the English king Edward II, began to gather forces to the battlefield in advance. And on June 23, the advance detachment of the British, consisting of young and ardent knights, stumbled upon the Scots, who were conducting reconnaissance of the area.

One of the pieces of the Battle of Bannockburn chess set by Anne Carlton

Sir Humphry de Bohun, who led the horsemen, recognized one of the Scots as their king and, intercepting the spear in the “to fight” position, rushed at him.

That day, Robert the Bruce left his spear in the camp, confining himself to a short-handled battle axe. And when he saw that the enemy was rushing at him, he made the only right decision in such a situation.

Giving the horse a command to leave the line of attack, Bruce met the knight with a powerful blow to the head.

In the 16th century, pollaxes would fall into disuse following plate armor. However, the idea of ​​a reinforced shaft will find its continuation in steel tubular handles for axes and maces.

But all this will come later. And in the 14th century, the most effective weapon of the knights was the pollax, which easily killed even an armored enemy.

The weapon turned out to be so dangerous that even in the 21st century, its blunted model is banned from use at many historical festivals in Russia. The surviving textbooks perfectly show the troubles that this weapon could do.

The technique of working with pollax, restored on the basis of these textbooks, can be viewed on the video.

Models of pollaxes used by combatants are not made on the basis of an ax, but a war hammer. I will talk about this variety in the article “War Hammer”, which has not yet been written))). However, the video is quite revealing, and, which is a rarity, of good quality.

Weapons of the knights and the "star" of tournaments

From the very beginning, the battle ax was part of the obligatory program of knighthood. And everyone was aware of its danger, including the knights themselves. So, the French king Francis I refused to fight on pollaxes with his English colleague Henry VIII due to the fact that “ there are no mittens that can adequately protect the hand«.
And these are the words of the almighty king!

However, not everyone paid attention to such a trifle as injuries. big lover to cross battle axes was the French knight Jacques de Lalen, who lived in the middle of the 15th century. Here is a chronicle of just a few of his fights.

1445, Antwerp, battle with the Italian knight Jean de Boniface. While it came to pollaxes, the fighters managed to break six spears and continued the fight. When the turn of the pollaxes finally came, Jacques struck de Bonifas with such a blow that he nearly twisted him!

1447 Castilla, fight against Diego de Guzman. When Jacques and Diego fought on pollaxes, their blows were so violent that sparks flew from the armor.

1447, Flanders, battle with the English squire Thomas Kew. During the battle, Thomas hit Jacques de Lalen with the spike of his pollax in the hand. The point penetrated under the glove and went through, "cutting the nerves and veins, as the thorn of the Englishman's ax was surprisingly large and sharp."
Seeing that things were not going well, Jacques threw back his pollax and threw Thomas Q to the ground, thus winning the fight. Fortunately for the winner, the wound he received did not make him crippled.

On graves and coats of arms

In addition to war and tournaments, pollex was also used during the "God's Judgment" - a duel in which all charges were dropped from the winner. And one rule is connected with this kind of battles, which the tombstone makers knew very well.)))

So, if the justified winner did die from wounds received during God's judgment, then on the grave monument he was depicted wearing exactly the armor in which he cleared his name of accusations. The statue was supposed to hold a sword and an ax in crossed hands.
The one who was killed in a duel was depicted fully armored and also with crossed arms. However, all of his offensive weapons were depicted next to him.

Among other things, battle axes were an honorary armorial figure. They can be seen on the coats of arms, France, on historical coat of arms King of Iceland and on the modern coat of arms of the Swiss canton of Saint-Gall.

Summarizing

Around the battle axes in knightly Europe they did not add such a halo as around the sword, which resembled a cross in its shape. However, the ax was a weapon no less important than the sword, and often the ability to handle it brought people fame, and hence immortality.

Literature

• Maciejowski Bible
• Ewart Oakeshott The archeology of weapons. From the Bronze Age to the Renaissance
• D. Aleksinsky, K. Zhukov, A. Butyagin, D. Korovkin “Riders of War. Cavalry of Europe"
• J.J. Rua "History of chivalry"
• K. Koltman “Knight's Tournament. Tournament etiquette, armor and weapons»
• R. Lovett "What is pollex"
• Count Michael De Lacy "Pollax: Description and Techniques"
• "Kings of England against Wales and Scotland 1250-1400" (almanac from the New Soldier series)

Dark times, Middle Ages, knights and barbarians, aggressive campaigns and massacres. This topic is of interest to many human race. Someone admires the courage and bravery of the warriors of the past, someone is trying to understand what motivated the rulers who destroyed entire clans.

But an integral theme of such research was and remains the weapons used by the soldiers. One of the most ancient and widespread is the ax and its types.

What is an axe?

The modern word "axe" is rooted in the Old Slavonic "sikira" or "sokira". In translation, these words have a common meaning - an ax.

One of the most dangerous weapons of the past was the axe. The meaning of the word fully justifies its appearance. Almost all types of these weapons are similar. A wooden shaft, the length of which varies from several tens of centimeters to one meter. A blade is impaled on it, long and wide. The blade, the length of which reaches thirty centimeters, has a semicircular shape.

The ax and its types are widespread in many countries of the world, but in various eras and centuries.

where and when the weapon was used

The first mention of what an ax is refers to ancient eras. It is known that in Ancient Egypt the ax was made of bronze and was very popular among the warriors. The battle ax has become the most common weapon in the Eastern Region. Blacksmiths and gunsmiths experimented with the look and soon created an ax that had two parallel blades. This type of weapon did not bypass Ancient Rome and Greece.

During the battle, warriors armed with axes were in the second rank. They dealt deadly shield bearers. The long shaft of the weapon was used for strategic purposes: in battle, infantrymen cut off the legs of opponents and horses.

But Europe learned much later what an ax was. The definition of the word remains the same: a battle ax with a long shaft. However, weapons did not become widespread until the first infantry troops appeared in the eighteenth century.

How has the ax changed in Europe?

With the advent of European countries eighteenth century foot soldiers, the ax became increasingly popular. The meaning of the word has not changed, it was still a battle ax with a rounded blade and a shaft of various lengths. However, the appearance has changed.

In a battle against soldiers dressed in cast armor and helmets, the swing of the ax was not enough to inflict significant damage on the soldiers. Then the length of the shaft was changed. In the hands of the soldiers turned out to be a weapon two meters long, to the tip of which they attached not only sharp blades, but also various hooks, bayonets and tips.

But it is worth noting that even in this era, the ax on the shaft was not used as a spear. The imbalance of the shaft and the tip did not allow accurate long-range throws.

From the heyday of the Ancient Civilizations to eighteenth-century Europe, the ax underwent several changes.

Halberd

One of the varieties of the ax was the halberd. It became widespread in the fifteenth century, becoming the most effective weapon against armored cavalry troops.

The appearance is slightly different from conventional weapons. The shaft of the halberd ranged from one meter to two and a half, and the maximum weight was almost six kilograms. The blade was different forms: flat, narrow, crescent, concave or vice versa. The main difference of the halberd is the combined tip, the length of which could reach one meter.

For fatal blows, the tip of the halberd was equipped with a needle-shaped spear blade, hook or butt.

Scandinavian ax

Asking the question of what an ax is, one cannot ignore the Scandinavian version. This type of weapon belongs to the Middle Ages. Outwardly, it resembles a modern analogue, but differs in a wider blade, equally diverging to the sides. The shaft of the weapon was thin. The width of the blade was only two and a half centimeters, and the weight, excluding the shaft, was no more than 500 grams.

It was from Scandinavia at the beginning of the tenth century that the battle ax migrated to Europe, and it reached Rus' only in the second half of the century. And if in Rus' they stopped using a battle ax in the thirteenth century, then European warriors did not abandon it for a long time.

Ax of Perun

What is an axe? Of course, a battle axe. But this is not a complete answer. In addition to the weapons of infantrymen and warriors of the past, such an ax was a talisman among the Slavs.

The ax of Perun, according to modern research, was one of the favorite weapons of the main and strongest Slavic god.

The ax of Perun is the main amulet of the warriors who went into battle. According to legend, the talisman takes spears and arrows away from a person. But it protects only those who fight for their Motherland and their people.

However, the symbol of the divine weapon helps not only people associated with battles. The ax adopted the symbolism of its owner and became a talisman that helps to overcome difficulties. It gives strength to fight evil and darkness.