Exotic European Weaponry. -- myArmoury.com

Nate C. · Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 11:36 am Post subject:

Let's not forget Caltrops, Partisans, and that nifty combination matchlock/holy water sprinkler.

I think most of the Asian "exotic" weapons have an analogous weapon in European weaponry, we just don't perceive them as exotic.

Cheers,

Korey J. Lavoie · Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject:

Good point Nate, articulated weapons are revered as being highly exotic. Compare the European Flail to the Chinese 9-section Chain Whips, some Flails even use linked bars that are highly similar. As for my personal favorite, I defy anyone to find a weapon more exotic then a Two-Handed War Sword with a Flammard Blade.
The problem is their ubiquitous depiction and the Galling way in which European fighting tactics have been portrayed as using brute force without finesse or skill. I'd like to see the members of this forum get together and write a film or design a video-game that displays European fighting styles in all their Glory and Diversity.

George Hill · Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject:

Korey J. Lavoie · Posted: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject:

Martin Forrester · Posted: Fri 22 Jun, 2007 4:52 am Post subject: Re: Exotic western weapons

Reinier van Noort · Posted: Fri 22 Jun, 2007 4:56 am Post subject:

The first time I saw that illustration, I thought it's purpose was to illustrate that all parts of a sword are a potential weapon or something like that (or to illustrate the parallels in use between different weapons).
Though I am not saying that I still think so, and when I had that thought I hadn't looked at any text either.

Craig Peters · Posted: Fri 22 Jun, 2007 5:08 am Post subject: Re: Exotic western weapons

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

Actually, the Fiore "pole axe sword" is what I was referencing when I was talking about a sword with a movable hand guard. The "rondel" slides on the blade, and the hand is gripping the "handle" of it. I got to play with a reproduction that A&A is working on for Bob Charron, and it is REALLY cool!

Craig Peters · Posted: Fri 22 Jun, 2007 7:20 pm Post subject:

Another common weapon, but in an exotic form, is the swords found in the fencing in harness section of Fillipo Vadi's manual, which apparently swell and widen near the tip:

http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/VadiNewImages/Untitled-jv3.jpg

Samuel Bena · Posted: Sat 17 Oct, 2009 1:20 pm Post subject:

Sorry for bumping into this old thread but I posted about this "lasso" back at ARMA forum and nobody seem to come with a definite conclusion:

The picture comes from one of the works of PH Mair (app 1542 ) and shows some sort of mounted fighting technique. Notice the "rope" that one rider uses offensively to put the other one out of the saddle.. it somehow reminded me of the 16th century ottoman miniatures depicting a Sipahi/Akinji that dismounts a hungarian man-at-arms with the use of a lasso.

Has anyone got an idea of what the "weapon" on the first picture could be ?

Regards,

Gregory J. Liebau · Posted: Sat 17 Oct, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject:

Need a light? This baby is a lantern, stomach cork-screw, hidden sword, shield, gauntlet and flamberged knife all in one! And it's not swiss! It's Venetian in origin, and dates to the late 16th century. This example is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria. The photos are mine.

T Lui · Posted: Sun 18 Oct, 2009 1:28 pm Post subject:

Nice catch, Mr. Liebau! I recall watching a documentary about weaponry that showcased a spiked buckler with a built in lantern used to light your way and blind/distract your opponent. But your example goes way beyond even that design, heh.

As far as many exotic Asian weaponry, one should also remember the context in which they were used. In the case of Japanese exotic weapons, the Shogunate basically outlawed most conventional weapons from being carried openly by anyone except the samurai class, disarming the lower classes and forcing peasants/commoners to convert agrarian tools into makeshift weapons like the kusari-gama, nunchaku, etc. in order to defend themselves from attack.

Similarly, you have the Shaolin develop unique weapons to suit their own martial art styles and government limitations (various Dynasties were always paranoid of peasant uprisings, and limiting access to weaponry is a key way to control the masses and ensure their rule of law). I think the secrecy required to create and train with these weapons gave rise to mythical accounts of ninja and their ilk, because to train and wield these weapons and techniques openly would invite arrest or worse. And so the legend of these exotic weapons and their practitioners grew out of that.

(Incidentally, my favorite exotic Asian weapon would be the flying guillotine; basically a collapsible canvas that fits over a man's head with a ring of metal and retractable blades hidden within. The whole thing is thrown/wielded via a length of chain and once dropped on a victim's head, the user pulls the chain, the blades activate and theoretically decapitate the target; very complicated and most likely one of those surprise-attack-drop-from-above one-shot weapons but neat nonetheless.)

There are plenty of Western exotic weaponry, used in the context of open warfare to hunting and personal duels. The sheer number and variety of pole arms is just mind-boggling, for example, each one designed for a specific or variety of tasks, from pulling knights off their saddles to piercing armor or simply immobilizing a man. Combo-arms are also a good source of weirdly wonderful weapons, from sword-guns to Mr. Liebau's death glove there, heh. I've been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY recently and they have a few pistol-swords, a large flintlock hunting cleaver, and a serrated saw blade sword on display there.