Glossary A-K abbasi: straight-bladed steel sword with a padded hilt; back of the blade was strengthened by supports; often highly decorated with gold inlay and gilt abbey: A monastic community of either monks or nuns abbot / abbess: Superior of a monastery or nunnery aclys: wooden Roman throwing stick with a spiked head; attached to user's arm with a strap which enabled it to be retrieved after it had been thrown adarga: parrying weapon consisting of a small bladed shield attached to a short spear adze: carpenter's tool; consists of an axe-like blade mounted with the edge at right angles to the handle ailette: flat plate of leather or parchment which tied to the point of the shoulder; worn between 1250-1350 to display the owner's coat of arms aketon: a padded and quilted garment, usually of linen, worn under or instead of plate or mail alamani: curved steel Indian sword with a gilt handle ama-goi-ken: a Japanese temple sword which represents Amakurikara, or rain dragon; a straight-bladed, double-edged sword amice: A square of linen (usually white in color), folded diagonally, worn by the celebrant priest, on the head or about the neck and shoulders. ancus: Indian elephant goad; vary greatly in size from about 40 to 120 centimeters in length; shorter ones were used by riders, while the longer versions were used by the trainers who were on foot anelace: A heavy, broad-bladed, sharp-pointed, double-edged knife angolan battle-axe: weapon with blade attached to a wooden handle apostate: one who leaves a religious order after having professed (usually via vows) to remain in the order arbalest: A crossbow with a steel box stave arcane: secret, mysterious, or obscure argent: 1. the heraldic color silver or white 2. silvery or white in color arit sickle: sickle consisting of a pronounced half-moon blade mounted on a short handle armet: a closed helmet consisting of the rounded cap of the bascinet with two cheek pieces overlapping at the front when closed arming cap: small quilted cap worn under a mail coif that offered protection against blows and the friction of mail against the head arming doublet: quilted garment worn under armour from the early fifteenth century, equipped with points to attach mail gussets and pieces of armour artillator: Maker of bows, arrows, and other archery goods aventail: 1. a mail garment protecting the neck 2. a "curtain" of mail to protect the neck, suspended from the helmet and reaching to the shoulders ay-baita axe: Turkish battle-axe; head is mounted with a pick opposite the blade and broad metal bands extend down from the head along the wooden shaft for reinforcement babanga: African sword consisting of a metal leaf-shaped blade fitted onto a wooden hilt bacinet: Relatively light helmet with a rounded or pointed top. Sometimes fitted with a visor and called a bassinet. baculus: heavy European club made of hardwood with a knotty striking head badge: An emblematic figure, placed on some prominent part of the clothing of servants and retainers, such as the breast, back, sleeve, etc., to show to what household they belonged; found also on flags, and buildings badelaire: European sword with a heavy, curved blade and S-shaped quillions; used during the 16th century baggoro club: flat club from Australia made of hardwood with a sharpened edge bagh nakh: (tiger claw, bich'hwa bagh nakh) bar with four or five curved blades attached; on each end of the bar a ring is attached so forefinger and pinky can be slipped through the rings with the bar in the palm; sometimes fitted with dagger blades bailey: Defended courtyard of a castle. bailli / bailiff: Royal officer responsible for the administration of justice and of revenue in a district. balestarius axe: large Battak axe/adze; head is fitted into the wooden handle and then lashed with reed baleyn: medieval word for whalebone which was used for weapons and armour during the 14th century ball & chain: type of European flail; consists of a metal ball attached to a short wooden handle by a chain ballinger / balinger: 1. English sailing barge usually with from forty to fifty oars 2. small oared vessel with single mast and sail. balta axe: Turkish battle-axe; the axe head was normally engraved and often inlaid with silver or gold barbut: (also called barbute and barbuta) an open-faced shoulder-length helmet, made in one piece, with a T-shaped face opening baselard: 13th century European thrusting sword with a straight diamond-shaped blade basilica: rectangular building used as a meeting hall bassinet: conical helmet with pointed visor bastard sword: (also known as hand-and-a-half sword) large, double-edged sword with a long grip which could be wielded with either one or two hands battle-axe: generic term for fighting axes, especially European ones; generally consists of a broad, socketed head attached to a wooden handle; metal reinforcement bands extend down from the head to help prevent it from being broken off in combat bearded axe: large two-handed war axe used primarily in Europe; socketed metal head fitted to wooden handle bearded war axe: smaller, one-handed version of the bearded axe; for use as a missile or while mounted; socketed metal head fitted to wooden handle bec-de-corbin: type of war-hammer used in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries; pick-like head was fitted with a spear like point for thrusting; normally mounted on a wooden haft with metal reinforcing bands extending down from the head beladah: steel sword with a sabrelike blade and a knuckle guard besagues: circular plates laced to the outside of the elbow joint and front of the shoulder to protect the joints in an armour bevor: high collar of plate covering the lower half of the face bilbo: small European thrusting sword with a rapierlike hilt biliong: Malaysian axe/adze consisting of a square-tanged blade fitted into a wooden handle; blade can be placed in line with the handle for use as an axe or at right angles for use as an adze; handgrip is often quite large and the smaller portion of the handle is very flexible; socket into which the head is fitted is normally bound with cane binnol: flail consisting of a spiked ball head connected to a wooden handle by a short chain bipennis: double-bladed European war axe; mounted on a wooden haft bird's head club: hardwood club with pick-like design as an attempt to improve the wounding capabilities of the weapon; often intricately carved birnie: (also called byrnie) a mail shirt bisacuta: double-pointed pick used by European foot soldiers in the 14th century; metal head mounted on a wooden haft bi-teran: wooden Australian club having a round handle and a flattened end blueing: an oxidized blue surface on plate armour, produced through heat treatment bodice: 1. the close fitting upper part of a woman's dress 2. a woman's wide, sleeveless vest tightly laced in front, worn over a blouse or dress, usually low-cut bokken: wooden Japanese practice sword bolas: cord or leather thong with stones attached to each end; second cord with stone is attached to the center of the first to create a three-pronged weapon; weapon is spun around the head and then thrown at the target's legs bolts, crossbow: shortened arrows used in arbalests; small stocky missiles know for being capable of incredible penetration boomerang: wooden throwing stick with an effective range of about 20 meters bouzdykan: all metal mace used in Poland in 17th century bowyer: bow maker bracers: plate armour for the arms braquemar: European sword with a short, double-edged blade. breeches: trousers reaching to the knees brigandine: (also brigantine) 1. metal splints sewed upon canvas, linen, or leather and covered with similar materials; a material used in making light armour; a "pair of brigandines" is a body-coat of this material, in two pieces 2. defensive jacket of metal plates on cloth 3. a canvas or leather jacket with small plates of metal stitched inside broad axe: European war axe having a broad, straight edge; head was socketed and attached to a wooden haft brocade: a rich silk fabric with raised patterns (raised patterns usually in gold and silver) buckler: 1. a small round shield carried by infantry to deflect blows 2. a small round shield held by a handle at arm's length 3. a shield worn on the left arm bulawa: all metal Russian mace bullova: two-handed war axe that varies greatly in size but basically consists of a wide-bladed head attached to a wooden handle; some are fitted with a spike above the head for thrusting bullwhip: woven leather whip normally used as an animal herding tool burgonet: steel cap with chin-piece; from 16th century armour burnoose: (burnous, burnouse) A sort of upper garment, with a hood attached. 1. cloaklike garment and hood woven in one piece, worn by Arabs 2. combination cloak and hood worn by women 3. long hooded cloak woven of wool in one piece; worn by Arabs and Moors burrong: wooden club from Australia with an axelike shape buskin: footed leggings with thick sole made from expensive soft leathers and embroidered and brocaded fabrics. byrnie: mail shirt, the prescursor of the hauberk cabacete: type of war hat popular in fifteenth century Europe with a turned-down brim which was drawn up to a point in the front and rear with an almond-shaped skull campilan: Malaysian sword with a forked wooden pommel decorated with tufts of dyed hair; blade is single-edged, a curved projection behind the point casque: (also called casquetal) a light open helmet, these were often similar in shape to the burgonet and popular in the 15th and 16th centuries cat-o'-nine tails: European whip used in flogging; leather thongs were usually knotted at their ends and were sometimes fitted with metal spikes to tear the flesh of the victim cervelliere: steel skull cap cervèllaire: small skull cap worn under the great helmet (greathelm) during the last part of the 13th century and into the early 14th century cestrosphendone: sling dart consisting of a wooden pole with a leaf-shaped blade, attached behind were two or three fixed vanes of wood; sling was fitted at the tip and behind the vanes and the dart then spun above the head; effective range was about fifty meters cestus: wide leather thongs, often weighted with lead; worn wound around the hands of Roman boxers cghchemarde: European fencing sword of the late 17th century; blade was triangular in section for about 20 centimeters from the hilt and then narrowed to a flat section for the remainder of its length, the design gave the blade great lightness and flexibility chakram: (shirikin) flat steel ring with a sharpened outer edge used as a thrown missile; several were often carried on a pointed turban; thrown like a frisbee chijiriki: double-edged Japanese spear with a weighted chain attached to the butt end; two-handed weapon chanfron: armour for a horse's head chapel de fer: An iron cap that was a domed helmet, made in three or more pieces, with a wide brow around the outside. During the 14th century it was widely used by English and French men-at-arms and bachelier knights who could not afford a bascinet. chausses: mail protection for the legs (particularly the thighs), either in the form of mail hose or strips of mail laced round the front of the leg chemeti: whip normally made of buffalo leather or human hair and attached to a hardwood handle; a large knot is normally made in the end of the whip itself; overall length of the weapon can vary from 90 to 160 centimeters chereb: straight bronze sword with a double-edged blade chivalry: complicated code of behavior/ethics for knights, based on telling the truth, keeping one's word and protecting those weaker than oneself chundrick: a sword with an incurved steel blade and a straight hilt circlet: a circular band worn as an ornament on the finger, arm, neck or head claw hammer: typical carpenter's tool; metal head fitted to a wooden handle claymore: (also called greatswords) Large two-handed swords popular in Scotland during the 15th, 16th and the 17th centuries. Ranging in length from 50" to 72", they possessed handles that were 18" - 21" in length. club: universal blunt weapon of many cultures cog: a type of substantial sailing ship coffer: 1. a chest in which money or valuables are kept 2. a treasury; funds coif: 1. a cap that fits the head loosely 2. a thick skullcap, as of leather, formerly worn under a hood of mail 3. mail hood covering the head corslet: (also called corselet) a light half-armour popular in the sixteenth century for general military use; consisted of a gorget, breast, back and tassets, full arms and guantlets cote armour: Quilted garment worn over a breastplate, cote of plates, or as the sole body defense during the 14th century. cote of arms: A word that seems to have been interchangeable meaning a cote armour blazoned with a device, or a surcoat bearing the heraldic charge of a man's affiliation. Because it was the most visible expression of a knight's arms, the word has come to mean the heraldic device itself rather than the cote upon which it was sewn, painted, or embroidered. cote of plates: (pair of plates, plates) A cloth or leather covered armour for the body with several large plates riveted underneath for the defense of the body. craquemarte: heavy European sword with a curved blade and a knuckle guard; generally used at sea crest: heraldic device worn on helm crowbill: (hammer) war-hammer-like fighting pick used in Europe; usually made entirely of iron or steel; point of the pick is very effective in piercing mail and joints in armor cudgel: European practice sword made of wood and fitted with a basket hilt; used in broadsword practice cuirass: Plate defense for the body. Consisting of a breast and backplate, hoops of steel to defend the hips known as faulds, and tassets to defend the hips. cuir bouilli: leather hardened in boiling wax cuisses: plate armour pieces protecting the thighs cumber-jung: (flail) Indian flail made by attaching two heavy quoits to a short handle of wood by chains cutlass: a short, thick, curving sword with a single cutting edge dabus: mace that consists of a piece of wood studded with nails dacian falx: sword consisting of a curved, single-edged blade with a long wooden hilt; used by the Celtic and Germanic tribes dagger mace: European mace/pick made entirely of steel; shaped to look like a hand holding a dagger dalwel: Burmese two-handed sword with a tanged steel blade; sword has a heavy, square-ended blade fitted into an unguarded hilt of wood or ivory; consists of a slightly curved, single-edged blade fitted into an unguarded wooden hilt dexter: heraldic: on right hand of shield dha: sword with a broad blade and a plain, unguarded handle dhara: mace having six blades; made entirely of steel with a padded hilt dolabra: axe-like Roman tool/weapon used by legionnaires; socketed head attached to a wooden handle doloire: (wagoner's axe) European battle axe used in the 15th century; socketed steel head is fitted to a wooden haft doublet: a man's close-fitting jacket with or without sleeves, worn chiefly from the 14th to 16th centuries dowak: flat throwing stick dusack: weapon made of a single piece of iron with a curved blade and guarded hilt eccat: sword with a deer horn hilt and no guard elephant axe: large two-handed axe used in Africa to ham-string elephants; iron head is fitted into the wooden handle by means of a tang epaule de mouton: steel defense for the complete arm; developed during the 15th and 16th centuries; used exclusively in jousts epee: French for sword. epsilon axe: (eye axe) early axe form used in the ancient Middle East; head of cast copper or bronze was fitted into a wooden handle by tangs; broad head made it suitable for use against unarmoured foes since its penetration capabilities were not great espadon: European two-handed sword of the 15th century estoc: long, stiff and sharply-pointed sword for thrusting at the joints in plate armour, first introduced in the second half of the fourteenth century exchequer: financial department of the royal government, the chief officers of the Exchequer are the Treasurer, the Chancellor and the Justiciar. fakir's horns: Indian weapon made of horns; some have spear points attached to the ends of the horns falchion: 1. short, heavy, broad-bladed sword with a single edge, bearing a similarity to a heavy scimitar 2. short, curved single-edged sword with a broad blade fang: all iron Chinese weapon with two double-edged blades at the end fauld: skirt of overlapping lames riveted to leather and protecting the wearer below the waist, usually attached to a breastplate firangi: straight-bladed sword; the hilts were padded and fitted with spiked pommels fist mace: iron or steel mace used in Europe shaped like a clenched fist flagellum: three-pronged whip used by the Romans; was ineffective against heavy armor flail: large foot soldier's weapon used in Europe; normally made of wood and reinforced with metal bands; some were fitted with hooks to keep the head from swinging around while marching flamberge: European two-handed sword with a undulating blade flat club: Samoan hardwood club, often elaborately carved; sharp edges on the head to improve effectiveness flaxen: pale-yellow in color: straw-colored fletcher: arrow maker fleuret: European fencing sword with a cup hilt flyssa: sword with a straight-backed blade with a long point; often the blades are inlaid with bronze francisca: (axe/missle) from 6th-8th centuries it was normally used as a missile; standard tactic was to hurl it at an enemy and then charge in with sword or spear; consists of a socketed, iron head attached to a wooden haft; effective range was about 15 meters when thrown fukidake: a blowpipe not normally used in combat but rather to poison opponents; about two meters in length, darts were fitted with paper cones on the ends to ensure an airtight fit; mouthpiece was fitted off to the side of the main tube, a feature which prevented the accidental inhaling of the dart; effective range was approximately ten meters fuller: broad groove running down the center of each side of some sword blades (usually to make the sword lighter in weight, not to allow a "channel" for blood to drip off the sword as commonly thought) full moon: parrying weapon consisting of a steel ring attached to a handle with two curved blades fitted to either end; outer edges of the ring and the blades are sharpened gada: mace of wood with a stone head; normally the head is bound to the handle gala: sword with a carved wooden handle and no guard galoshes: wooden-soled shoes with leather straps intended to protect shoes from rough stone pavements galraki: axe with socketed iron head, attached to a wooden handle gambeson: quilted linen jacket stuffed with flax or rags, worn as a body defense by infantry and over the hauberk by poor knights and sergeants gamboised: A padded defense made of linen, flax or other fabric, sometimes reinforced and studded. Gamboised cuisses were often worn as an early addition to mail chausses during the late 13th and early 14th centuries. ganeugaodusha: deer-horn club of the Indians ganjing: all iron club gargaz: Indian mace with six to ten blades on the head made of steel, had padded hand guards, and sometimes were richly engraved garrett: a room within the roof of a house, an attic garth: small piece of enclosed land next to a house, often a garden garz: all steel Indian mace with no hilt; head is rather small and has many flanges gatlings: small joint defense on a finger gauntlet, usually attached to a leather or canvas base by sewing or by rivets gauntlet: 1. a medieval glove, usually of leather covered with metal plates, worn to protect the hand from injury in combat 2. a long glove with a flaring cuff covering the lower part of the arm gilded: covered with a thin layer of gold-leaf gladius: Short thrusting sword of the Romans, developed originally in bronze but more effective in the later iron examples. Designed both for thrusting and for cutting in close-in combat. goddara: Turkish sword with a curved blade and padded hilt; often highly decorated goliah: heavy Indian sword with a padded hilt and spiked pommel; blade is often engraved and inlaid gorget: 1. piece of plate armour protecting the neck 2. plate defense covering the throat, meeting the breastplate at the shoulders and chest goupillon: steel, three-pronged horseman's flail used in Europe; head could be spiked or plain great bascinet: Late 14th early 15th century version of the bascinet where the mail aventail was replaced with two steel plates, one in the front and one in back. greaves: defense for the lower leg, usually made of plate guige: the strap affixed to the back of the shield by which a shield could be carried over the shoulder gunsen: folding war fan with iron sticks used by the Japanese as a parrying weapon habergeon (haubergeon): mail coat, smaller than a hauberk hachiwara: weapon normally consisted of a slightly curved, square-sectioned bar with a hook near the grip; used as a parrying weapon haik: (hyke) large piece of woolen or cotton cloth worn by Arabs as an outer garment hair pin: long metal pin used to hold the hair in place haketon: leather jacket, sometimes reinforced with mail halab: sword with a double- grooved blade and a padded hilt halasan: sword with a cylindrical hilt made of horn and no guard halberd: axe-headed polearm, usually with a rear and top spike han-dachi: Japanese sword used with either one or two hands; fitted with a small, roughly circular hand guard; carried thrust into the belt with the blade facing upwards hammer (warhammer, martel): A weapon consisting of a hammer head on one side and a spike on the other, sometimes mounted on a short handle for use in one hand and other times mounted on a short shaft for use in foot combats. Warhammers and poleaxes were popularly used in judicial duels or in combats associated with points of honor. harness: originally, armour and other military equipment for a man or horse hatchet: common woodcutter's tool; socketed metal head is attached to a wooden handle haubergen: shorter version of the hauberk, a shirt made of mail, usually laced down the sides hauberk: 1. mail coat 2. armour of chain mail in the shape of a tunic to protect the body 3. mail shirt covering the body as far as the knees, the arms ending in mittens, and with a hood for the head heater shield: semi-cylindrical shield with a flat top edge herebra: Phoenician sword with a double-edged, leaf-shaped blade OR straight-bladed Bornean sword with a guardless wooden hilt hoeroa: whalebone club with a double-curved blade and carved handle holy water sprinkler: (morningstar) European mace made of wood and having numerous spikes projecting from the head It was a common foot soldier's weapon hoolurge: axe/pick made of steel; often elaborately carved or engraved hora: horn knuckle-duster horseman's hammer: war hammer made of iron or steel, used by mounted fighters houpelande: A garment common to nobility during end of the 14th century; characterized by long flowing sleeves, sometimes dagged in many interesting patterns. Often worn as court attire and later adopted in place of the surcoat, particularly in Germany during the late 14th century. hul-tho: bladed rope hunga-munga: hooked throwing knife; blade is double-edged, and the handle is covered in rawhide hurlbat: iron throwing axe from Europe ice pick: small tool consisting of a thin metal spike fitted into a wooden handle iverapena: paddle club made of hardwood and slightly pointed iwatajinga: club consisting of a stone head attached to a wooden handle jack: 1. defensive leather coat, either of several layers or quilted, often reinforced with metal studs or small plates 2. canvas or leather jacket reinforced by metal or horn plates stitched between the layers of material jadagna club made of ironwood; sometimes fitted with a stone or metal spike in the head japurunga: wooden club with a double-pronged head jaweti: square-sectioned club made of hardwood jeddart axe: (also called a lochaber axe) Scottish variation of the halberd; the polearm weapon consists of a hook on the reverse side of the blade which was used when scaling walls, a sharp point at the top of the weapon, and a long blade jerkin: 1. a short, close-fitting coat or jacket, often sleeveless, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries 2. a short, sleeveless vest worn by women and girls jitte: Japanese parrying weapon consisting of an iron bar with a hook attached to one side; grip is often woven cord or leather jo: wooden Japanese staff slightly longer than the katana jumgheerdha: straight-bladed sword with a padded hilt and hand guard jupon: a tightly fitted garment resembling a leather tunic worn over armor (particulary chain mail) in the 14th century, often blazoned with one's coat-of-arms. kadjo: stone- headed axe; stone head consists of two parts attached to the wooden handle by tree resin; one of the stones is blunt and the other sharp so the tool can be wielded as either a hammer or an axe kalus: whip commonly made of buffalo hide or rattan and fitted to a handle of wood kama: sickle consisting of a tanged steel head fitted into a wooden handle; fighting style often utilizes two kamas, one in each hand kamcha: whip made of leather or cord attached to a wooden handle and often elaborately decorated kangaroo rat: (weet-weet) slender, wooden Australian throwing stick with conical points on each end; thrown by swinging it back and forth several times and then letting go with a under-hand jerk; effective range is about 25 meters kan sin ke: Chinese whipping chain made of short metal bars joined together with links; two-handed weapon kantschar: steel Russian sword with a thin blade and drooping quillions kapak: small throwing axe consists of a tanged metal head fitted into a flat wooden handle karabela: Turkish, and later Polish, sword consisting of a curved blade, short quillions and curved hilt; often this weapon was highly decorated kaskara: a straight, broad-bladed sword with a cross shaped hilt kasrullah: club made of wood kastane: sword often had European blades which were slightly curved and single-edged; handle, pommel, and ends of the quillions are carved in the form of monsters' heads; entire hilt is often made of silver or gold and inlaid with jewels katti: a heavy, curved single-edged blade attached to an unguarded hilt; carried unsheathed in the back from a belt kauah: cylindrical stone throwing club kauw: parrying weapon, usually used with one in each hand; a wooden staff with a sharp semicircular blade fitted to one end; metal hand guard consisting of two half-moon shaped blades connected by a crossbar kawanaga: iron Japanese grapple attached to a long rope used to assist in climbing, tying up prisoners or a horse, or as an entanglement weapon; two handed if used as weapon kerrie: wooden or horn throwing stick; end is sometimes sharpened and used for stabbing keerli: stone axe consists of a sharpened stone glued onto a wooden handle kettle hat: strong, light weight, open-faced helmet, having a conical crown and wide brim khanda: sword consists of a curved blade with a broad, sometimes blunt, tip; hilt is padded; a spike on the end of the pommel acts as an arm guard and a grip for delivering two-handed blows kharga: sacrificial axe made of steel and usually elaborately carved and engraved kheten: Egyptian two-handed axe; bronze head was fitted into the wooden haft kiam bokiam: Chinese fighting and parrying metal stick with a hand guard killj: sword with a curved blade fitted with a pistol grip handle kirasoo: ironwood Indian spiral throwing stick kirtle: 1. a short skirt worn by women 2. a long gown or dress worn by women 3. a long tunic worn by men kiseru: iron smoking pipe; also used to parry sword strikes, as well as deliver counter attacks against a foe because of its metal construction klappvisier: The first visored defense for the bascinet. The klappvisier featured a pointed (pignose) or rounded (roundnose) snout to deflect arrows and bolts and a raised area around the eyes. It first defended the area of the face not already defended by the aventail. kledyv: ancient Welsh sword with a leaf-shaped blade klewang: sword with a straight steel blade and an angled hilt; hilt is generally unguarded and carved knuckle duster: iron bar with finger holes in it to give weight to a punch; similar to modern 'brass knuckles' kodelly: axe consisting of a socketed steel head attached to a wooden handle; normally used as protection against animals konnung: straight, wooden stick from held in the center and used for stabbing kopsh: (sappara) ancient Egyptian bronze sword with a sicklelike blade; consists of a heavily curved single-edged blade which widens at the tip kotiate: club that is elaborately carved; known to be highly prized heirlooms; were often given names by their owners; club was made of wood or whalebone and shaped somewhat like a violin kris: a double-edged, wavy-bladed knife/short sword designed primarily for thrusting kujerong: wooden club with a heavy, rounded end kunnin: wooden throwing stick kusarigama: metal Japanese parrying and whipping chain attached to a metal sickle with a hand guard; chain is used to entangle an opponent's weapon or legs; used with both hands kyoketsu-shogi: Japanese ninja parrying weapon; a rope connects a metal ring and a forked knife, could also be used to aid in climbing; used with both hands