Daggers have been companions to warriors since the earliest stone tools. In the 11th to 13th centuries, little is known about their use, but from the mid-14th century onwards, daggers appeared among all levels of the population and the number of styles increased dramatically.
The roundel dagger
The roundel dagger is a sleek weapon that was used especially from the 14th century onwards. It usually hung from the belt and served both as a tool and a weapon. The blade was long, narrow and tapered to a sharp tip, while the total dagger could be about 50 centimetres long. The name "roundel" refers to the round striking plate and bulbous pommel on the grip.
The grip was cylindrical and often made of wood or bone, with the blade running completely through the grip. Blades could be diamond-shaped, lens-shaped or triangular in cross-section. Roundel daggers were primarily thrusting weapons, although some had one or two cutting edges.
The bulbous pommel made it possible to apply extra force when thrusting through armour. Also, its shape allowed it to be drawn quickly in emergencies.
Roundel daggers developed from earlier daggers of the 12th and 13th centuries, at the same time as the rise of full plate armour. By the 15th century, they became standard as a side weapon worn by knights and used in battles such as Agincourt (1415) and Bosworth (1485). They served as a last resort or to force an enemy to surrender.
In addition to the nobility, the roundel dagger also became popular with the middle classes. Illustrations from miniatures show merchants and craftsmen with daggers hanging from their belts.
Weaponmasters such as Hans Talhoffer describe techniques for dagger fighting, both against armoured and unarmoured opponents.
Different types of roundel daggers
The blade varied in size and shape. In the 14th century, short double-edged blades of 18–23 cm were popular, while in the 15th and 16th centuries single-edged pointed blades became more common.
Some blades resembled an ice pick: thin, rigid and pointed, ideal for piercing mail or the small openings of armour. Thin, square blades were purely thrusting weapons and formed a forerunner of the stiletto.
Grips were initially straight and cylindrical, but could be fluted, spiral or engraved. By the end of the 14th century, scale construction became popular: two scales attached to the tang with rivets or metal plates.
Roundel daggers with 'pierced' grips were especially popular in England, while the Burgundian dagger had a bulbous or mushroom-shaped pommel and was often richly decorated.
Sheaths are rare, especially from the 14th century, but grave monuments show that they were usually made of leather with metal fittings and edges at the mouth. In the 15th century, sheaths were simpler and sometimes enclosed the lower roundel. In the 16th century, sheaths became richly decorated and more complex again.
Roundel daggers were used in combat both in the "ice pick grip" and in the "hammer grip". The sharp point and rigid blade made the dagger ideal for thrusting, even through mail or small openings in plate armour.
Many illustrations show soldiers attacking enemies with a stabbing motion. Additionally, the dagger served to give a quick death to seriously wounded knights, which also earned it the nickname misericorde.
The narrow blade could penetrate visors or openings in helmets and pierce the weak points of plate armour. The weapon appeared in England, Germany, Italy, France, Poland and Persia and could also be effective in wrestling or close-range combat.
Internal links
- Bollock dagger: history, types and use of the dagger
- Messer: The "knife"-sword of the late Middle Ages
- The Falchion: The mysterious curved sword of Europe
- The Arming Sword: The legendary knight's sword
Sources:
- Primary Source: Hans Talhoffer (1467) and Fiore dei Liberi (1409) for combat techniques in armour where the roundel dagger is specifically used to target the vital openings in plate armour.
- Museum Collection: Royal Armouries, Leeds.
