LANDSKNECHT PIKE

[cornelistromp]

16th century landsknecht pike (spiess)

allover length 212cm
spurs 47cm
sock till gryphonhead 12cm
leaf/blade 12cmx5cm

[cornelistromp]

profos?

[fernando]

Hi Jasper,
Beautyful piece !
Why is this a pike and not a lance (spear) ?

[cornelistromp]

hi Fernando,

you may call it a pike a lance or a spear.

Lance is a catchall term for a variety of different pole weapons based on the spear. The name is derived from lancea, Roman auxiliaries' javelin, the word may be of Iberian origin. Also compare longche, a Greek term for lance.

A lance in the original sense is a light throwing spear, or javelin. The English verb to launch "fling, hurl, throw" is derived from the term (via Old French lancier), as well as the rarer or poetic to lance. The term from the 17th century came to refer specifically to spears not thrown, used for thrusting by heavy cavalry, and especially in jousting. A thrusting spear which is used by infantry is usually referred to as a pike.

Best,

[Matchlock]

Hi Jasper,

I have to agree with Fernando: this is a beautiful piece indeed. I, too, like Fernando, prefer calling it a lance (Spiess), length ca. 2,20-3,0 m.
'Pike', on the contrary, usually means a long lance (Langspieß), ca. 4,60 to 6.0 m overall in length.

Congratulations on your perfect historic documentation as well. Your Landsknecht Spiess is clearly of North Italian type, early 16th century and in perfect patina. The both zoomorphic and apotropaic monster's head first appears on the muzzles of cannon and then on Landsknecht arquebuses. As they clearly represent fire spitting dragons or sea monsters, I would not call them gryphons.

Best,
Michael

[fernando]

Thank you for the semanthics on the lance term, Jasper. Although not so thourouglhy as put by you, i was aware of the word's origin. Actualy the term currently used in portuguese is lança; i don't think we have a translation for spear.
Although currently speaking a lance may either be a throwing arm as also one to be hand held ... like both those of cavalry lancers and defence footmen.
However my question was more in line with Michl's observations; pikes (in portuguese piques) are in principle longer polearms, even considering their length variation through time and different people's customs.

[cornelistromp]

Hi Michael and Fernando,

beautiful barrels, thanks a lot for this extremely nice contribution
yes, I see, it is indeed a sea monster.
we can call it a spear however Jp Puype calls this type a small officers pike in his book "Maurits to Munster"

the condition of this spiess is excellent it still has the original pole and the yellow colour at the pictures are remains of the original fire gold plating.

do you know a similar example some-were
Best,

[fearn]

So far as I know, English at the moment is tending towards:

--Spear as a generic (basically, the handle is longer than the blade, and it's more for poking than for chopping, hooking, slicing, or other things)
--Javelin for a spear meant to be thrown
--Lance for a spear meant to be used on horseback
--Pike for a very long spear meant to be used in formation, although there's ample evidence that they were used individually as well.

Obviously these terms don't translate precisely into other languages, and that's fine with me. When in doubt, it's a spear.

Best,

F

[fernando]

Sure thing Jp Puype is a master and i am not even an amateur.
With such pole length and blade shape i would always though it was a lance.
Speaking of spiting dragons, here is a fascinating 1,45 mts. barrel from the 1500's, made in Goa, that i scanned from an old auction catalogue
The dragon eyes and nose are in silver; the nose works as a sight.

.