Revolutionary Fascine Knife

[M ELEY]

I must say I am surprised at the early date of this display depicting a classic boarding axe! Had I not seen it, I would have supposed the boarding axes you spoke of from earlier periods would have lacked the spike and been more of the "battle axe" type. Awesome documentation piece as well. This once again makes me question whether some of the earlier "tomahawks" with longer butted hafts might have served in a naval capacity.

[kronckew]

i imagine that the axe was a useful shipboard weapon/tool since it's inception in the start of the age of metals and likely before. as fire is a classical sea weapon, a tool for cutting grappling hook lines, netting, rigging, shifting broken timbers, masts, spars, booms etc. is very useful. a spiked axe is not only such a tool, but makes a handy weapon. maybe not quite as good as a pike or hanger, but a lot better than nothing, especially if you know how to use it. not surprising that fire axes would be very similar if not almost identical. roman legions used a spike axe (dolabra*), i'd guess the roman navy & marines would also. seeing a spike axe in a military vessel would thus have been normal for millenia.

the roman dolabra that follows, if it was a bit more ravaged by time would look much like the axe posted earlier.


dolabra on trajan's column, rome from 113 a.d.:

[broadaxe]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

I must say I am surprised at the early date of this display depicting a classic boarding axe! Had I not seen it, I would have supposed the boarding axes you spoke of from earlier periods would have lacked the spike and been more of the "battle axe" type. Awesome documentation piece as well. This once again makes me question whether some of the earlier "tomahawks" with longer butted hafts might have served in a naval capacity.

This illustration is unique for display of large array of weapons, ship-board: boarding axe, broad axe, fire arrow, fire grenade with staff-sling, grapnel and so on. Dmitry, I don't know the exact source but it is quite famous and used worldwide in naval warfare references. It is the manuscript depicting the chace, capture and exacution at sea of one infamous, early 13th century pirate of the North Sea, Eustace "the Monk", or "Le Moin" or "The Black Monk".
kronckew, very true, yours truely is signed on an online article saying the same. Unfortunately this article is cited occasionaly by sellers on ebay with no credit, sometimes for the wrong reasons.
I had my own thoughts regarding the dolabra as a naval weapon, but the relics I'm familiar with are too large - good for sapping and trench work, cumbersome for ship board.

[M ELEY]

Great information, guys! Thanks!

[Dmitry]

Originally Posted by broadaxe

Dmitry, I don't know the exact source but it is quite famous and used worldwide in naval warfare references. It is the manuscript depicting the chace, capture and exacution at sea of one infamous, early 13th century pirate of the North Sea, Eustace "the Monk", or "Le Moin" or "The Black Monk".

I remember seeing similar scenes in an illuminated manuscript detailing Swedish [I think] subjugation of Finland, but not as detailed, as far as the small arms go.
These must be rowing galleys, or barges of some sort; there are no sails or masts in sight, nor eyelets for oars.

[fernando]

Boarding of the Triton by the French privateer Le Hasard, steel engraved by Ambroise Garneray, who was also a privateer; a high probability for the images being close to real.

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[M ELEY]

Amazing illustration, Fernando. It's always interesting to see art work contemporary to the use of such things for validation. About what period did this pirate exist? From the stetch, I'm assuming 17th-18th c.?

[fernando]

Hi Mark

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Amazing illustration, Fernando. It's always interesting to see art work contemporary to the use of such things for validation. About what period did this pirate exist? From the stetch, I'm assuming 17th-18th c.?

The Triton, a thirty cannon, 100 crew British ship was boarded and captured on 27th january 1797, by the French corsair (privateer) brig "Le Hasard", comanded by Robert Surcouf, one of the most famous French corsairs.

[M ELEY]

Ahh, I should have recognised the ship's name. I've read a book on Surcouf awhile back. Interesting fellow...and unlike most pirates, a hero in his homeland. Thanks again for the great illustration.