| War hammer | |
|---|---|
 Indo-Persian war hammer, heavy iron head with a hammer in front, a 4.5-inch (11 cm) curved spike on the other side, cut channel decorations, hard wood shaft | |
| Type | Impact weapon or polearm |
| Place of origin | Europe and the Middle East |
| Service history | |
| In service | Medieval |
| Specifications | |
| Head type | Hammer, sometimes an additional spike |
| Haft type | One- or two-handed |
A war hammer (French: martel-de-fer, "iron hammer") is a weapon that was used by both foot soldiers and cavalry. It is a very old weapon and gave its name, owing to its constant use, to Judah Maccabee, a 2nd-century BC Jewish rebel, and to Charles Martel, one of the rulers of France. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the war hammer became an elaborately decorated and handsome weapon.[1]
The war hammer was a popular weapon in the late medieval period. It became somewhat of a necessity in combat when armor became so strong that swords and axes were no longer able to pierce and ricocheted upon impact. The war hammer could inflict significant damage on the enemy through their heavy impact without the need to pierce the armor.[2]
- ^ Sargeaunt, Bertram Edward (1908). Weapons, a brief discourse on hand-weapons other than fire-arms. London, H. Rees. p. 11.
- ^ "Medieval WarHammer". Medieval Chronicles. 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2022-11-14.