[Allen Johnson]

I'm helping a friend out with a fictional book and am trying to recall if there is a term for wooden stakes or pikes (no iron or steel tips, just sharpened wood) that have been embedded in the ground as a defensive barrier.
Thanks folks!

[Gottfried P. Doerler]

well, the german term for this is "Spanischer Reiter", which means "spanish horseman"
wikipedia lead me to the "english" term "Cheval de frise"

Interestingly the etymology gives the explanation, that it was named so due to heavy use by frisians, who had themselves little cavalry, and imho the same is true for the spanish, famous for their infantry.

[Tomas B]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archer's_stake
Archer's stake according to wikipedia but I'm trying to remember a different word.
If they are straight up and around a camp or settlement it would be a palisade.
Are you looking for a term for an infantry defense or settlement defense?

[Mark Griffin]

trees?

;-)

I think stakes is right, can't recall anything else.

[Terry Thompson]

Jean De Wavrin (1398-1470+) wrote in his chronicles in reference of Agincourt. several mentions of the wooden English barriers, and I don't have his account in the original French. But the English translation always appears to be translated as "stakes". If you can find the original French text of De Wavrin, you would be able to determin the contemporary French word.

Also the battle of Nicopolis (1396) where combined European forces were routed by the Ottomans, similar "stake" barriers were used by the Ottomans, intended to disembowl oncharging cavalry horse.

-Terry

[Jean Thibodeau]

Cheveaux de frise, usually plural:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheval_de_frise

http://www.google.ca/search?q=chevaux+de+fris...mp;bih=995

Single sharpened stakes individually pounded into the ground would be less versatile as the Cheveaux de frise can be moved to different places when needed.

I would assume that in some cases they might also be secured in place so as to not be easily moved out of the way by an opposing force of infantry. But just on the ground they would be very useful against cavalry unless the horsemen got off their horses to move the obstacle out of the way ..... not recommended if the Cheveaux the frise are closely protected by spear/bill/pike armed infantry and/or missile troops.

[Theo Squires]

Not really pikes stuck in the ground, but in the off chance that the previous more relevant answers aren't right, it could be just palisade. That's more of a wall of sharpened stakes, however. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palisade

[Allen Johnson]

Thanks everyone- I appreciate it!

[Stephen Wheatley]

''Swedish feathers'' in the 17th century - about five feet long two inches thick incorporating a musket rest, ''Chevaux de Friese'' I thought were horizontal logs with old blades hammered into them like a giant rotivator - used to block breaches in walls. Brfore these just stakes.