Battle-axe facts for kids

18th century Indian battle axe.

A medieval one-handed battle-axe

A battle-axe (also battle axe or battle-ax) is an axe designed for combat. Battle axes were versions of utility axes. Many were suitable for use in one hand, while others were larger and were used two-handed.

Axes designed for warfare ranged in weight from just over 0.5 kg to 3 kg (1 to 6 pounds), and in length from just over 30 cm to upwards of 1.5 m (1 to 5 feet), as in the case of the Danish axe or the sparth axe. Cleaving weapons longer than 1.5 m would arguably fall into the category of polearms.

A Viking "bearded axe" blade circa 1000 (top), and a German horseman's axe blade circa 1100 (bottom) .

Through the course of human history, commonplace objects have been used as weapons. Axes, because they are common, are no exception. Besides axes designed for combat, there were many axes that were also used as tools. Axes could be modified into throwing weapons as well (see the francisca for an example).

Axes were always cheaper than swords and were always available.

Images for kids

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  Horseman's axe, circa 1475. The blade's punched decoration suggests German make. This is an example of a battle axe that was tailored for the use of a mounted knight. The wooden haft is modern.

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  Bronze axes, Zhou dynasty

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  Stone axe heads in polished greenstone from the collections of the Hôtel-Dieu in Tournus (Saône-et-Loire, France). Found in Saône River

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  An ornamented, 7th-century Merovingian battle axe head on display in the British Museum.

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  Chinese general with his attendant, from Spanish illustrations, 16th century

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  Armored axemen, Song dynasty

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  A Japanese rendition of the axe-wielding outlaw, Li Kui

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  Panabas

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  Dong Son axes

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  A Qajar-era Persian dervish, with Tabarzin (axe) Tehran's Grand Bazaar.

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  A dervish with Tabar (axe)