Lucerne hammer

Man with Lucerne hammer, 18th century.

The Lucerne hammer is a type of polearm which was popular in Swiss armies during the 15th to 17th centuries. It was a combination of the bec de corbin with the blunt war hammer.

Name

The name comes from a discovery of many of these weapons in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Design

The hammer-part of the Lucerne hammer was a three- to four-pronged head mounted atop a 2m-long (7 foot) polearm stick. It bore a long spike on its reverse, and an even longer spike extending from the very top.

Use

The Lucerne hammer required both hands for effective handling. As a modified polearm, Lucerne hammers had multiple functions in battle. The forward-pointing spike could be used for spearing, while the hammer proved effective at puncturing or smashing armor. Like many other polearms, the Lucerne hammer was also used for dismounting the enemy. The long pole could provide a swing of the hammer with a large torque, resulting in tremendous force upon impact.

See also

• Swiss arms and armour

External links

• Spotlight: The Medieval Poleaxe, by Alexi Goranov