I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere, but I'm curious as to whether or not there were any 'rules' for the length of the two-handed combat/battle/war axe. I understand that early axes of this variety might be four to six feet long and that the axes favored by gallowglass in the 16th Century tended to run around six feet (or more) in length.

I seem to recall reading that the appropriate length for the haft of a naginata was equal to the height of the person using it. I understand that Japan is nowhere near Europe, but was there a similar standard?

Thanks for any help!

my understanding is that, according to period artwork, looking at how danish axes measured compared to the people using them, in artwork, makes them as being about 3-4 foot this is for the saxons and other 'vikings' of that era including the varangian guard of about the 8th to the 11th century i dont know about later

How tall are we assuming the figures to be?

We had a discussion about Dane Axe heights and the relative heights of the Huscarls shown on the BT last year over on the Living History Forum:-

http://livinghistory.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26002

Thanks for the link, Matthew!

Sounds like the only sure conclusion is that one ought to start with a longer haft than one thinks to need and chop it down until it feels right.

Interstingly, there where no rules for the length of scandinavian broad axes, not even in the high medevial laws.

In scandinavian/german reenactment fighting the norm is 6-7ft, which is the length needed to actually be outside the striking range of enemy swordsmen as you fight in the line.
This asumes that the daneaxe is a primary weapon, in the style of the helbard or galloglass axe, which are as you mention documented to be in this length range.

However, there are indications that the daneaxe was used as a personal weapon rather than a primary. In this case, it would be in the 3-4ft range, and be worn under the belt of a shield and spear equiped warrior. Or carried as a status symbol by a norse freeman in times of peace.
If used as a backup "sword substitute", the axe would presumambly be used in both hands, with the shield hanging on the guige. I have tried this, and it is reasonably effective provided that you maintain pressure on the defender.
Such an axe could also be used in one hand, though recovery would be very slow. Alternately, it could be held in the middle of the shaft and used to block spear thrusts while closing inn to hook and and slice. This I have yet to try with fencing masks, but it is high on my to-do list.

Both types of weapon are feasible, but documentation is scarce.

So would it be logical to conclude that the Huscarls at Hastings, the Varangian Guard, early Gallowglass, and others who used the broadaxe as a primary weapon would use longer c. 6 foot hafts?

Or would they have fought with spears in the shield wall until the lines broke and then gone to the shorter axes?

ETA: Should the axe head be especially large on such an axe?

Also, I hate to use fiction, especially movies, as an example, but in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, Gimli uses a 'walking axe'. Is there any evidence of longaxes being used in Northern Europe for similar purposes?

Thanks, Jean. It's amazing what pops up around here when you ask about it!

on walking axes... in norway the axes did at some point start to get shorter and turn into walking stick length axes, this was I suppose in the late middle ages (might have been earlier, but until evidence of something else is provided I still believe in the long daneaxes). from the 16th and forward we have several examples of this, but the ones i thought would interest are actually from the 17th and 18th century.
http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/bergmannsks/MH/SS-48452?pos=25
"bergmannsøks" translates into miners axe, and we typically find them in Røros and Kongsberg, the two biggest mining towns i norway. these two cities were heavily influenced by germany, as they used engineers etc from germany. these axes come from the tradition in norway to use axes as personal arms, and were used as status symbols by those who used such, engineers, big farmers, other bigshots.
http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/things/bergmannsks/MH/SS-05491?pos=9
http://chr-auksjon.no/auctions/61/items/31940
these often have a forward point on the blade. these points was decorated, and the edges was often dull or even squared off, because they no longer had a purpose.

now, to get to the point, these axes was often highly decorated with etchings, inlays, gilding etc, for the really rich ones. those with not as much to spend on walking equipment had their canes carved in the same fashion...
these are called "bergstav" mountainstaff / miners walking stick
http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/things/bergmanns...1767?pos=5
http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/bergmannsstav...1766?pos=9
notice that the point is still there... also, they are bendt backwards near the head, also typical of weaponaxes in norwegian middle ages and on...
this last one the head is cast bronze, so this is right between the two, it is still called a staff
http://digitaltmuseum.no/things/bergmannsstav...004?pos=10
these were in use well into the 19th century, at least in the backwaters and mountains of norway...

wish I had more pictures for you, should have had some regular weaponaxes for comparison, but couldn't find any right now... sorry.

:surprised:

OK, that's kinda cool. I might have to have one made before the snows melt, this year!

The search term "bondeøks" (peasants war axe) returns quite a few of those typical late weapons axes. The surviving examples are mostly from the 17th century and are as Audun pointed out rather short and with a forward thrusting point.

http://digitaltmuseum.no/search?query=bonde%C...amp;page=1

So it appears that there are two schools of thought on this matter of Dane axe shaft lengths. Some are saying that 3-4 feet is ideal and others are calling for 5 feet and above.

I am saving up for a very authentic Dane axe and I was going to go for the "tall as your chin" shaft but now I'm completely up in the air.

Keep your thoughts coming guys as this is a very interesting subject and I want to make as reasonable choice as I can in this regard.

I would think that the key is in the type of battle, and the style of fighting. the norwegian peasant axes are made for one to one combat, or larger scenes of fighting where people generally do not use shields, so its the same kind of skirmishing where you'd find sabres, baskethilts and the like. the 3-4 ft length makes sence. also, these was used a lot in boarding ships etc, also a situation where it seems ideal.
In viking age/medieval linefights with shieldwalls, forests of spears and such, it makes sence to have a longer weapon, as they were a little later in the middle ages... the way I see it, the type of battle you fight, and the role you have in the fight, dictates the weapon you have, and the length of your axe. but keeping a 4 ft axe in the belt? sounds cumbersome...

Simply looking at period illustrations it would seem that the Dane axe was used without a shield so I would think that the shaft would have some length to it.

3 feet just seems way to short to me especially balanced with a 11-12 inch blade. Perhaps to the middle of the chest would be a good height for an axe of the period 1000-1100? This does seem to approximate the length seen in artwork.

A two haded axe is used like (ta-da!) an axe; hands shoulder width appart, sliding the front hand as you strike, and applying force from the hips.
It is also important to note that the axe head can be turned to allow you to strike from different angles. I'll get my axes later to demonstrate.

Audun: I know the short hafted daneaxe sounds unpractical, but the Leidang laws describe them as substitutes for the sword, not the spear. Thus, logicaly, they would have to be a "personal weapon" of some sort...

As an example:
One handed spear, daneaxe, longsword, "walking axe", "hand axe", viking sword

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