First I apologize for my terrible english. I´m brazilian, and all I have learned of this language was by myself, so my text will probably be full of errors.

Being in Brazil, it's almost impossible for me to be in contact with medieval weaponry (even reproduction), but even so I´m very interested in those weapons, their characterstics, and usage.

Lately I've been curious about the Awl Pike, or Ahlspiess, and would like to know it's general characteristics (weight, lenght, etc.), how and why it was used.

I find it a very strange weapon because it seems too heavy for a thrust only weapon...

... the Ahlspieß was used in the 15th century - at first especially by the Hussites at the beginning of this century, later also in Germany and Austria. It's a trust-weapon with a lenght up to ca. 230 cm and a weight of ca. 2,5 kg. The blades of surviving originals are up to 80-100 cm long and of square cross-section - in many cases there is a flat disc for protection shrinked to the base of the blade.

Regards

Martin

PS: Here is an example:

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Thanks!

Now I have a better idea of the weapon... There´s actually very few information about it on the web. Even here at myArmoury I could find anything...

But, my question is... 2,5 kgs! If i'm not mistaken, it´s approximately the same weight of the Halberd, so what would be the utility of such a heavy thrust-only weapon?

The normal pike wouldn't do the same task of the awl pike with more agility? Or, perhaps the Awl Pike would be better piercing armour... It would pierce throug the average plate of the XV century?

For curiosity, I think it´s name in portuguese is Chuça, but I´m no certain of that too... Luiz de Camões describes it on the Vasco da Gama arsenal during the navigation for India:

"Isto dizendo, manda os diligentes
Ministros, amostrar as armaduras:
Vem arnezes, e peitos reluzentes.
Malhas finas, e laminas seguras,
Escudos de pinturas differentes,
Pelouros, espingardas de aço puras,
arcos, e sagittiferas aljavas,
Partazanas agudas, chuças bravas : "

I wonder if this weapon was also used by the portuguese during this period...

If you strike an opponent with an ahlspiess it's basically like smacking them with a steel rod. No cutting power but still oughta hurt. Not to mention the obvious thrusting power and possible armour penetration...

From Hafted Weapons in Medieval and Reconnaissance Europe:

German ahlspiesse are recorded in the early fifteenth century, and are pictured without
a disc hand guard. This particular form of the ahlspiess is known by the term breach pike
in English, breschspiess in German, pique de brèche in French, and quadrellone in Italian. It is
identical to the fifteenth century Austrian weapon except that there is no sculpted indent
for the roundel (see below). Handsome and well-formed examples exist with hexagonal
solid throats whose spikes measure some 95 cm. (36”) in length. They appear to have persisted
longer than the ahlspiess, as late-sixteenth- century forms exist with the typical nodus
between the spike base and the shaft socket.

That's the only measurement he has in it. He also stated all the extant shafts seemed to be replacements so the overall length isn't sure.

Cheers,
Matt

In terms of the awl-pike, it appears that one is portrayed here, in a mid 15th century illustration which goes with a piece of writing called 'How a Man Schall be Armyd'. I'm not sure if you can extrapolate any accurate length from the picture, but you get the idea. While the artist has done some strange things to the geometry of the room and weapons, the awl-pike appears to be the same length as the polaxe.

[ Linked Image ]

Is it written 'ahlspiess'?

[ Linked Image ]

There is some more info in this thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=11402

Regards,