Original European 17th Century Continental Partisan Polearm Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. A partisan (also partizan) is a type of polearm that was used in Europe in the 16th, 17th, and 18th century. It consisted of a spearhead mounted on a long shaft, usually wooden, with protrusions on the sides which aided in parrying sword thrusts. Like the halberd, it quickly became obsolete with the arrival of practical firearms, although it stayed in use for many years as a ceremonial weapon. In profile, the head of a partisan may look similar to that of a ranseur, spontoon, ox tongue, or septum; however, unlike a ranseur, the lower parts of the head have a sharpened edge.

This lovely example is most certainly of Continenal European origin, likely German, and dates to the early to mid 16th Century. The Partisan head was most likely remounted during the Victorian period, as antique arms and armor became fashionable decorative items during that time. The wooden shaft and fabric skirting are 19th century additions, but have aged and patinaed nicely together!

The total length is 94 ¼ ” with a 30 ¾ ” total length for the steel head. The condition is very good, especially considering the age, showing some expected pitting and nicks to the leading edge of the blades.

This would make for an incredible display piece!

Polearm

A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user’s effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee weapons, with a subclass of spear-like designs fit for both thrusting and throwing. Because many polearms were adapted from agricultural implements or other fairly abundant tools, and contained relatively little metal, they were cheap to make and readily available. When warfare would break out and the belligerents had a poorer class who could not pay for dedicated military weapons, leaders would often appropriate tools as cheap weapons. The cost of training was comparatively minimal, since these conscripted farmers had spent most of their lives using these “weapons” in the fields. This made polearms the favored weapon of peasant levies and peasant rebellions the world over.

Polearms can be divided into three broad categories: those designed for extended reach and thrusting tactics used in pike square or phalanx combat; those designed to increase leverage (thanks to hands moving freely on a pole) to maximize centrifugal force against cavalry;[further explanation needed] and those designed for throwing tactics used in skirmish line combat. Because their versatility, high effectiveness and cheap cost, polearms experimentation led to many variants and were the most frequently used weapons on the battlefield:[citation needed] bills, picks, dane axes, spears, glaives, guandaos, pudaos, poleaxes, halberds, harpoons, sovnyas, tridents, naginatas, bardiches, war scythes, and lances are all varieties of polearms.

Polearms were common weapons on post-classical battlefields of Asia and Europe. Their range and impact force made them effective weapons against armored warriors on horseback, because they could be dismounted and/or penetrate said armor. The Renaissance saw a plethora of varieties. Polearms in modern times are largely constrained to ceremonial military units such as the Papal Swiss Guard or Yeomen of the Guard, or traditional martial arts. Chinese martial arts in particular have preserved a wide variety of weapons and techniques.