battleaxe

A battleaxe is a melee weapon featuring a broad axe head attached to a shaft, designed for close combat on the battlefield. Historically, it was used by infantry and cavalry, and in some periods also served as a tool in siege or camp duties.

Design and variants: The head is typically iron or steel mounted on a wooden haft. One-handed battleaxes usually weigh about 1 to 2 kilograms, with hafts around 40 to 70 centimeters; two-handed varieties use longer shafts, roughly 90 to 150 centimeters. The bearded axe has an extended lower blade edge that increases cutting reach without enlarging the head. Viking examples include bearded and Dane axes; the Dane axe is a long two-handed form optimized for heavy blows. Some axes also include a hammer-like poll on the back for armor-breaking or blunt impacts.

History and usage: Battleaxes appear in Iron Age contexts and remained common in medieval Europe. They offered simple manufacturing, the potential to deliver crushing blows against armored opponents, and versatility in infantry and cavalry roles. In the late medieval period, powerful two-handed forms such as the Dane axe were valued for their reach and impact. The poll-axe variant served armor-breaking tasks in close combat and is associated with infantry fighting against armored opponents.

Decline and legacy: With the rise of firearms and changes in armor, formal battlefield use declined by the early modern period. Battleaxes persisted as symbolic items, tools, and in modern martial arts and historical reenactment. The bearded and Dane axes have influenced contemporary axe design and reconstruction efforts.