lancearmed

Lancearmed is a historical and descriptive term used to denote a person, unit, or army equipped primarily with the lance. In English-language military histories it commonly references troops whose chief weapon was a long spear designed for thrusting from horseback or on foot. The term can function as an adjective (lancearmed cavalry) or as a noun referring to such troops.

In medieval Europe, lances were the defining weapon of heavy cavalry; knights and their counterparts could be described as lancearmed when their charge relied on spear contact rather than swords or bows. Lancearmed infantry, though less common, appeared in environments where long spears were used to counter cavalry or to form spear walls alongside shields. The term helps distinguish spear-oriented units from archers, swordsmen, or crossbowmen in historical accounts.

In modern scholarship and popular culture, lancearmed is used to discuss historical tactics, reenactment, and wargaming. In games and fiction, lancearmed armies are depicted with long spears, often emphasizing reach, discipline, and cohesion of formation. The term thus anchors both historical analysis and creative representations of spear-armed forces.