We've all seen fantasy versions of medieval swords and other weapons from video games, role playing games, movies, and the like. But what about weapons from the Middle Ages, whether antique weapons or illustrated in manuscripts, that are fantastic looking? In some cases, fantasy medieval weapons appear to be equally unusual and strange as modern fantasy creations.

This thread is a chance to showcase some of these more unusual medieval creations. I want to emphasize again- the purpose of this thread is not to display modern fantasy weapons or illustrations, but rather "fantasy"-type weapons that were either created in the Middle Ages, or envisioned during the Middle Ages.

We'll start with a 1433-1434 Lives of St Edmund and Fremund, which has some truly unusual looking weapons. Have a look at the swords shown, and also the apparent size of some of the halberd blades:

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A second image from the Lives of St Edmund and Fremund, this time depicting a massive glaive, and an unusual falchion:

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/5436/17907/

One more. Notice the back spikes on this glaive-type weapon:

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/5436/17913/

Those backspikes you pointed out look like what an artist would draw onto that glaive if he never saw the weapon but had it described in quite a lot of detail.


Would the famous Maciejowski-chopper fit the bill for this one?

Sure, I think it's sufficiently unusual to make the list. Same with things like Leonardo da Vinci's polearm studies, or some of the exotic dueling weapons found in Talhoffer or other fencing manuals.

Here's Leo's polearm sketches:

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Source: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/58/6d/...0cdf04.jpg

And some of Talhoffer's dueling swords, from his 1459 fechtbuch:

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Source: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/TheyCal...Manual.jpg

Cotton MS Faustina B. VI, fo. 1v. The Desert of Religion, 2nd quarter 15th. century, northern England

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http://manuscriptminiatures.com/3939/10795/
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http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4641/12673/
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The Seven-Branched Sword.

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Edited from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chiljido.jpg

NYPL MA 104 Bible History, from 1445. Have a look at the third polearm from the left.

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13599/

David versus Goliath in the same manuscript.

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13617/

From the Navarre Picture Bible, 1197. One can almost imagine this as a holy weapon in some sort of video game.

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/3924/10768/

Fiore's Sword/Spear, from the Pisani-Dossi Ms.

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Source: http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Page:Pisani-Dossi_MS_17b.jpg

A very strange messer from Talhoffer's 1459 manuscript.

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Source: http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Fight-Earnestly.pdf, p. 61.

Poleaxes, again from Talhoffer 1459:

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Source: http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Fight-Earnestly.pdf, p. 290

From Coutumes de Tolouse, 1300-1325. I'm not sure if this is a weapon, or a farming implement, but I've included it just the same.

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Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4362/9945/

If you are referring to the item being held by the middle individual, I think that is just a bill hook. Considering the length of the shaft, I would almost dare to say it is closer to the farming/woodcutting version as opposed to the military one due to most military bill hooks having long shafts to use as pole arms to my knowledge...