16th century war hammer, horseman's pick, semi-sharp

Product description

This type of war hammer is also called a “horseman's pick” because it was highly effective against armored cavalry. War hammers like this developed in the second half of the 15th century and were primarily used in Italy, France, and Germany. The weapon featured a hammerhead with a long spike, similar to a miner’s pick, capable of piercing armor where a sword would fail. Variants such as the Polish nadziak and the English horseman's pick were popular with cavalry, including during the Hundred Years’ War.

The advantages were its power and armor-piercing capability; the drawbacks were its weight, unwieldiness, and the risk of the spike becoming stuck. Nevertheless, a single strike could breach a helmet or breastplate and incapacitate an opponent. In the 16th century, horseman's picks also became status symbols, often decorated with patterns or monograms. With the rise of firearms, their practical use declined. In Hungary, they remained in limited use for a short time, but by the 17th century, they had been entirely replaced by the bayonet.

This luxurious example is based on a late 16th-century original. Around this time, the war hammer was considered an aristocratic weapon and was often richly decorated.