page_title: Pollaxe
section_title: Types of pollaxe
hierarchical_section_title: Pollaxe / Types of pollaxe
caption_attribution_description: Manfred I of Saluzzo depicted as Godfrey of Bouillon, holding a en:long war hammer (polearm).label QS:Len,"Manfred I of Saluzzo depicted as Godfrey of Bouillon, holding a en:long war hammer (polearm)." label QS:Lfr,"Godefroy de Bouillon, en tenue de héraut portant une hallebarde (pollax, arme d’hast)."
context_page_description: The pollaxe is a European polearm that was widely used by medieval infantry.
context_section_description: The pollaxe design arose from the need to breach the plate armour of men at arms during the 14th and 15th centuries. Generally, the form consisted of a wooden haft some 1.2–2.0 m (4–6.5 ft) long, mounted with a steel head. It seems most schools of combat suggested a haft length comparable to the height of the wielder, but in some cases hafts appear to have been created up to 2.4 m (8 ft) in length.
  The design of the head varied greatly with a variety of interchangeable parts and rivets. Generally, the head bore an axe or hammer upon the damaging 'face', with a spike, hammer, or fluke on the reverse. In addition, there was a projection from the top (often square in cross section) built somewhat like a dagger. The head was attached to the squared-off wooden pole by long flat strips of metal, called langets, which were riveted in place on either two or four of its sides. Also, a round hilt-like disc called a rondelle was placed just below the head. They also appear to have borne one or two rings along the pole's length as places to prevent hands from slipping. Also of note is that the butt end of the staff, opposite the weapon's head, bore a spike.
  On quick glance, the pollaxe is often confused with the similar-looking halberd. However, the axe blade on a pollaxe seems to have been consistently smaller than that of a halberd. A smaller head concentrates the kinetic energy of the blow on a smaller area, enabling the impact to defeat armour, while broader halberd heads are better against opponents with less armour. Furthermore, many halberds had their heads forged as a single piece, while the pollaxe was typically modular in design.
caption: Godfrey of Bouillon holds a short Lucerne hammer. Anachronistic fresco dated 1420.
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