Tank breakers
| Tank breakers | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | sword |
| Designations: | Bohrschwert, Pörschwert, Panzerstecher, Perswerte, Pratspieß, Estoc |
| Use: | Cavalry and foot troop weapon |
| Creation time: | 14th Century |
| Working time: | 14th century to approx. 18th century |
| Region of origin / author: |
Europe |
| Distribution: | Europe |
| Handle: | Wood, horn, bone |
| Particularities: | Blade cross-section often square, tips ( location ) especially hardened |
| Lists on the subject | |
The estoc ( armor-piercing, Estoc, Pörschwert, Bohrschwert, Perswerte or Pratspieß ) is a late middle pointed weapon for penetrating armor .
history
As a reaction to the improvement in armor in the late Middle Ages and the appearance of the first plate armor , specialized swords emerged in the 14th century that were designed exclusively for stabbing and often had a square cross-section without a cutting edge, making them virtually unusable for cutting. Since some of the fencing techniques that are effective against armor require gripping by the blade , these drill swords often had additional grip options on the blade. This form of weapon can be found in Europe into the 16th century, although various authors wanted to see it as a kind of lance sword that was used by horsemen. The related Estoc is a more conventional sword, often to be wielded with one hand, but which has been clearly optimized for the sting due to its blade geometry. This is more often seen as the predecessor of the sword . In Turkey, Hungary and Poland, where ring armor was still worn until the 18th century , part of the cavalry carried armor piercing as standard, which were inserted between the pockets on the left side of the saddle and formed part of the horse armor.
description
Roughly comparable to a stiletto , the armor breaker has a long straight and very robust, awl-like blade with a triangular or square cross-section . The tip of the armored piercer is specially reinforced and hardened. It is usually no, or only a stunted, guard available, but only a slice. The armored piercer was used to pierce ring or textile armor with a hard blow, sometimes with both hands, or in the case of plate armor, at least to push the long and thin point into the gaps between the individual plate parts, to penetrate any underlying armor to wound the enemy like that. The knob at the end of the handle was used to apply additional pressure with the second hand or even the upper body.
Harness battle sword
Armored stabbers are also used to describe the weapons of the 15th and 16th centuries, which were specially designed for duel combat in armor and which were used in the handle of the half sword. These weapons were not primarily used to pierce the armor, but rather to be used in the gaps in the armor, which are mainly located on the inside of the joints. If this attachment was successful, the sword hilt of a lance was knocked under the armpit and the crossguard was placed on one's chest in order to be able to build up maximum forward pressure. For this purpose they were only sharpened in the area immediately at the tip. Since the weapon was often used to lever and throw the opponent protected by his armor, very stiff blades with a diamond-shaped cross-section were used, which could also be tapered in the middle for better gripping. When it was struck , it was done with the heavier assisting end of the weapon, with which weak points such as the head and joints were attacked, or the cross-guard or the pommel could be hooked and the opponent could be brought down. In order to increase the impact, the pommel was partially provided with thorns and sharpened crossguards were used.
literature
- Wendelin Boeheim: Handbook of the armory. Reprint d. Ed. Leipzig 1890, Fourier Verlag, Wiesbaden 1985, ISBN 978-3-201-00257-8 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Peter v. Danzig, Hans v. Speyer, Paulus Kal, The manuscripts of the "Gladiatoria Complex", The Vienna Armory
