Pernach

This article is about pernach mace. For the Pernach pistol, see OTs-33 Pernach.

Pernachs, two of which are shestopyors (right)

A pernach (Russian: перна́ч, Ukrainian: пірна́ч, Polish: piernacz) is a type of flanged mace originating in the 12th century in the region of Kievan Rus' and later widely used throughout Europe. The name comes from the Russian word перо (pero) meaning feather, referring to a type of pernach resembling an arrow with feathering.

17th-century Russian sotnik with shestopyor

The most common type of pernach had six flanges and was called a shestopyor (Russian: Шестопёр, from Russian shest' and pero, that is six-feathered). Among a variety of similar weapons developed in 12th-century Persian- and Turkic-dominated areas, the pernach became pre-eminent, being capable of penetrating plate armour and plate mail.

A pernach or shestopyor was often carried as a ceremonial mace of rank by certain Eastern European military commanders, including Polish magnates, Ukrainian Cossack colonels and Russian voyevodas and sotniks.