The characteristic of these weapons was to have the metal part, suitable for injuring, placed at the end of a long hard wood pole (fig. 1). These developed during the Middle Ages within the plebeian environment, inspired by farm instruments.

The battle-axe and the bill, for example, were perfected until their evolvement into the halberd, the partisan spear and the ranseur. The ease of production of these weapons enabled various types of blades to be fitted to the poles, with different sizes and shapes (fig. 2).

Although the pole is not excessively long, it had to be used with both hands and enabled hitting an opponent without being in direct contact with him.

These were the weapons used by the infantry formations, which possessed neither armour nor horses and therefore faced the enemy horsemen by closing ranks and creating a tangle of blades which was difficult to overcome (fig. 3).

The lance, in particular, was also used by knights (fig. 4).

Fig. 1 - Polearms (from http://www.medioevoinumbria.it/home/armi-in-asta/).

Fig. 2 - 1 - Framea (V century); 2 - Norman Javelin; 3 - Spear (XV cent.); 4 - Mercenary spear; 5 - Pike; 6 - Steel Lance (1890); 7 - Ahlspiess or Awlpike; 8 - Ranseur 9 - Spear with guards; 10 - Spike; 11 - Spike with guards; 12 - Falchion; 13 - War bill-hook; 14 - War bill-hook; 15 - Swiss halberd (XV cent.); 16 - Halberd (XV century); 17 - Halberd (XVI century); 18 - War Falchion; 19 - Krakuse; 20 - Guisarme; 21 - Fork with hooks; 22 - Double fork. (From http://www.heedkeen.altervista.org/HKXJ/biblioteca/Learmi.htm).

Fig. 3 - Halberd (from VIOLLET LE DUC, fig. 11, page 347).

Fig. 4 - Short lance (from VIOLLET LE DUC, fig. 18, page 397).