MarilynatorGoing back to her i think the guisarme represents an interesting intersection between livelihood, status and war. it's a peasant banger and while incredibly crude it does trace its roots to farming tools like the bill. Unlike the bill which would become gentrified and produce ornate examples, the guisarme doesn't share such a legacy and remains a tool of the lay. Perhaps most interestingly is that it's still a really effective weapon with the capacity to de-horse a knight and further incapacitate them. It may be the French/Continental origins of the weapon that limited its social mobility compared to the billhook which found its niche among wealthier English men-at-arms. See G.F. Laking (1920, vol 3) for more analysis.
No comments yet
Sign in to comment.