Very interesting thread gentlemen
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Originally Posted by Matchlock
Hi there,
As to pikes:
The longest pikes known are those of ca. 1500 (the Maximilian era); very few are known to have survived in their original ca. 6 meter overall length as most of them were cut down to ca. 4.60 to 4.80 m as early as the 1520's, in the Peasant wars, and further during the 16th c. A new style of pikes' heads and hafts was created during the latest Renaissace for the infantry type of pikemen, in ca. 1580-1600, now measuring about ca. 4.0-4.50 in length. They were kept this way during the Thirty Years War (1618-58) after which they got considerably cut down to ca. 1.80-2.30 m and thus survived till the 18th c.
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A little OT but may I inquire Michael the following - would you happen to know the length of cavalry pole-arms (both "shock-type" lances and sweinspiess/boar spears) of German speaking horse in 15th and 16th century?
Furthermore what about the Swiss - did their Spiess/Pikes differ in length from those of Landsknechts or were they both around the same?
Cheers,
Samuel