Poignard

Poniard
A poniard in the collection of Thinktank museum, Birmingham, England
TypeDagger
Specifications
Blade typeDouble-edged,
straight bladed

A poniard /ˈpɒnjərd/ or poignard (Fr.) is a long, lightweight thrusting knife with a continuously tapering, acutely pointed blade, and a cross-guard, historically worn by the upper class, noblemen, or members of the knighthood. Similar in design to a parrying dagger, the poniard emerged during the Middle Ages and was used during the Renaissance in Western Europe, particularly in France, Switzerland, and Italy.[1][2]

The archaic word "spud" in English could refer to a poignard.[3]

The armed forces of Safavid Iran (1501–1736) used the poniard; it was considered a weapon the ownership of which was especially typical of soldiers who originated from the Caucasus region, particularly Circassians, Georgians, and Armenians.[4]

  1. ^ "Brass-hilted Poignard". Ancient Edge. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
  2. ^ Daggers Archived 2009-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Nares, Robert (1859) [1822]. "Spud". A Glossary; Or Collection of Words, Phrases, Names and Allusions to Customs, Proverbs which Have Been Thought to Require Illustration in the Works of English Authors, particularly Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Vol. 2. James Orchard Halliwell, Thomas Wright. London: John Russell Smith. p. 827. Retrieved 19 December 2022. SPUD. A sort of poinard.
  4. ^ Floor, Willem M. (2001). Safavid Government Institutions. Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers. p. 225. ISBN 978-1568591353. Soldiers also used the poniard (...) It was typical for those soldiers originating from the Caucasus (Cherkes, Georgian, Armenian) where also the best poniards were made