Halberd

The halberd was a type of an axe blade consisting of a spike, an axe head and a hook, mounted onto a wooden shaft with a socket and langets. The word halberd originates from the German words hem, halm which means pole, and barta, barda which means axe.

The first record of its use dates from the 14th century when the Swiss cantonal troops of the city and peasant communes, composed almost entirely of infantry, discovered a tactic of closed, shoulder-to-shoulder formation. Its origin is related to the time when full body suits of armour provided much greater protection from striking or sword thrusting. Soldiers were armed with helbards – a combination of a spike, an axe head and a hammer.