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WABUKAN Arsenal · Spears and polearms · Europe

Halberd

An axe blade, spike and hook on one long pole, the weapon of Swiss infantry; the Swiss Guard still carries it.

Halberd
Halberd WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

Hellebarde · hallebarde; alabarda; Hellebarde

Origin and history

The halberd combined an axe blade, a spike and a hook on a shaft. Swiss infantry made it famous in the 14th and 15th centuries, and Joachim Meyer (1570) taught its use.

Martial arts that use it

HEMA

Construction

A shaft of about 1.5–2 m topped by a steel head with an axe blade on one side, a hook or fluke on the other and a spike at the top.

Basic techniques

Training

Polearm training begins with handling: sliding the hands along the shaft, turning the weapon end to end and keeping distance. Thrusts, sweeps and blocks are drilled solo, then in prearranged forms with a partner using wooden versions with padded or blunt tips.

Safety

Long weapons need room: check the ceiling and the space behind you, and warn partners before turning the weapon. Inspect wooden shafts for cracks and splinters and replace them rather than repair them.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

The Swiss Guard in Vatican City still carry halberds, one of the oldest weapons still in official ceremonial use.

More weapons

Taiaha Naginata Yari Qiang (spear) Guandao Monk’s spade

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Halberd
  2. Wikipedia — Swiss Guard