Swordstaff

A swordstaff ({{lang|sv|svärdstav}}) is a Scandinavian polearm, used in the Middle Ages. It is made by placing a blade at the end of a staff.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

Evidence of the weapon in use at the battle of Elfsborg (Alvesborg) in 1502 is provided by Paul Dolnstein,{{Cite thesis |last=Hodnet |first=Andrew Arthur |title=The Othering of the Landsknechte |date=2018 |degree=MA |publisher=North Carolina State University |url=https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.20/35794/etd.pdf}} a landsknecht mercenary who fought in the battle, who refers to the Swedes carrying "good pikes made from swords". He also provides sketches of the weapon.{{Cite book |last=Richards |first=John |title=Landsknecht Soldier 1486–1560 |date=2002 |publisher=Osprey |series=Warrior, No. 49 |pages=51–52}}: [//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Dolstein_2.gif media:dolstein 2.gif]

Although Dolstein believed the weapon was made from swords, there is no independent confirmation of this.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

Origins

The weapon has visual similarities to the partisan and langue de boeuf and may share common origins. However, Scandinavian sagas make references to a number of pole weapons, usually translated as "halberd" or "bill".{{Cite journal |last=Orkisz |first=Jan |year=2016 |title=Pole-weapons in the Sagas of Icelanders: a comparison of literary and archaeological sources |journal=Acta Periodica Duellatorum |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=177–212 |doi=10.1515/apd-2016-0006 |issn=2064-0404 |doi-access=free}} These weapons are used to cut and to stab but their names suggest they were derived from the spear rather than a cutting weapon, such as the hewing spear (höggspjót) and the atgeir.{{Cite web |title=Viking Age Arms and Armor: Other Viking Weapons |url=http://www.valhs.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_misc_weapons.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213101044/http://www.valhs.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_misc_weapons.htm |archive-date=2012-02-13 |website=Hurstwic}} While clearly identifiable artistic or archaeological evidence of the form of these weapons is lacking, it is possible that the swordstaff may be a late derivative of this family of weapons.

Chinese swordstaff

File:Bronze Spear from the Tomb of the King of Chu, Shizi Mountain Xuzhou Jiangsu Western Han 2nd century BCE MH.jpg|Chinese swordstaff called a pi (鈹), Han dynasty

File:Han Dynasty Sha 铩 with bat shaped guard and scabbard.jpg|Han dynasty Sha 铩 with bat shaped guard and scabbard

File:Han_Dynasty_Sha_%E9%93%A9_with_bat_shaped_guard_and_blade.jpg|Closeup of a modern recreation of the sha with a bat shaped guard

Chinese polearms that resembled swordstaves were also commonly used in ancient China from the late Warring States/Qin dynasty to the Han dynasty era. These were known as the pi (鈹), translated into English as either "sword-staff" or "long lance", and a long bladed ranseur-like swordstaff weapon called the sha (鎩) with a blade that was around {{convert|62|cm|abbr=on}} long (up to {{convert|80|cm|abbr=on}} long) and a hilt that was about {{convert|19|cm|abbr=on}} long.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

Notes

External links

[http://www.zeno.org/Meyers-1905/A/Schwertstab Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon – Schwertstab] (in German)

Category:Medieval polearms