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Swordstaff
A swordstaff (Old Danish: sværdstaf), or staffsword (Old Danish: stavsværd, Old Swedish: stafsværdh, Middle Low German: stafswert), is a Medieval polearm mentioned in Nordic sources and sources pertaining to Scandinavia. It is a figurative term, referencing a spear, or similar, utilizing a sword- or dagger-like blade and crossguard. Archeological finds have been done in Sweden.
Evidence of the weapon in use at the battle of Elfsborg (Alvesborg) in 1502 is provided by Paul Dolnstein, a landsknecht mercenary that fought in the battle, who refers to the Swedes carrying "good pikes made from swords". He also provides sketches of the weapon.
Period Swedish texts mention swordstaffs separately along with other polearms, such as halberds, poleaxes, partisans, spears, and thereof. A period text, from c. 1502, uses the term brander (compare Old Norse: brandr), an older term for swordblade, to describe the blades of swordstaffs:
Jagh haffuer tinget vj ny brande till staffswerdh, och jag haffuer ingen penning ath betala them med, eren i wiid penninge, gören wel och sender hiid nogre, her staar ey peningha til fongx paa pant.
I have negotiated VI (six) new blades for staffswords, and i have no money to pay for them. Are you with money, do well and send here some. Here stand no money to catch for pawn.
In Variarum rerum vocabula cum sueca interpretatione (1538), Sweden's oldest dictionary, Latin: venabulum, a type of hunting spear, is translated as both "swine spit/skewer" (swijn spett), and "staff sword" (staff swärdh).
A swordstaff blade has been found at the Husaby castle ruin in Västergötland, Sweden. The blade has a smith's mark similar to the Passau Wolf mark. With the original wooden shaft, the full length of the weapon was approximately two metres long.
The weapon has visual similarities to the partisan and ox tongue spear and may share common origins. However, Scandinavian sagas make references to a number of pole weapons, usually translated as "halberd" or "bill". These weapons are used to cut and to stab, but their names suggest they were derived from the spear rather than a cutting weapon, such as the hewing spear (hǫggspjót) and the atgeir. While clearly identifiable artistic or archaeological evidence of the form of these weapons is lacking, it is possible that the swordstaff may be a late derivative of this family of weapons.
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Swordstaff
A swordstaff (Old Danish: sværdstaf), or staffsword (Old Danish: stavsværd, Old Swedish: stafsværdh, Middle Low German: stafswert), is a Medieval polearm mentioned in Nordic sources and sources pertaining to Scandinavia. It is a figurative term, referencing a spear, or similar, utilizing a sword- or dagger-like blade and crossguard. Archeological finds have been done in Sweden.
Evidence of the weapon in use at the battle of Elfsborg (Alvesborg) in 1502 is provided by Paul Dolnstein, a landsknecht mercenary that fought in the battle, who refers to the Swedes carrying "good pikes made from swords". He also provides sketches of the weapon.
Period Swedish texts mention swordstaffs separately along with other polearms, such as halberds, poleaxes, partisans, spears, and thereof. A period text, from c. 1502, uses the term brander (compare Old Norse: brandr), an older term for swordblade, to describe the blades of swordstaffs:
Jagh haffuer tinget vj ny brande till staffswerdh, och jag haffuer ingen penning ath betala them med, eren i wiid penninge, gören wel och sender hiid nogre, her staar ey peningha til fongx paa pant.
I have negotiated VI (six) new blades for staffswords, and i have no money to pay for them. Are you with money, do well and send here some. Here stand no money to catch for pawn.
In Variarum rerum vocabula cum sueca interpretatione (1538), Sweden's oldest dictionary, Latin: venabulum, a type of hunting spear, is translated as both "swine spit/skewer" (swijn spett), and "staff sword" (staff swärdh).
A swordstaff blade has been found at the Husaby castle ruin in Västergötland, Sweden. The blade has a smith's mark similar to the Passau Wolf mark. With the original wooden shaft, the full length of the weapon was approximately two metres long.
The weapon has visual similarities to the partisan and ox tongue spear and may share common origins. However, Scandinavian sagas make references to a number of pole weapons, usually translated as "halberd" or "bill". These weapons are used to cut and to stab, but their names suggest they were derived from the spear rather than a cutting weapon, such as the hewing spear (hǫggspjót) and the atgeir. While clearly identifiable artistic or archaeological evidence of the form of these weapons is lacking, it is possible that the swordstaff may be a late derivative of this family of weapons.