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Apr 24, 2020
Oct 22, 2010
Corsèque
Corsèque
c. 1520
Steel; round wood haft; tassel
Overall: 269.2 cm (106 in.); Blade: 36.5 cm (14 3/8 in.)
Weight: 2.38
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1535
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Did you know?
The corsèque is said to have originated in Corsica, from where it takes its name.
Description
The corsèque is a pole arm with a symmetrical three-pronged head consisting of a central double-edged blade and two sharp, upturned wings. The side blades served several functions: as guard to protect the soldier's hand when a thrust was delivered with the central blade; as a hook for unseating a mounted opponent; and to trip the opponent's horse. The corsèque was used mostly in Italy and France from the 1400s to the early 1600s. The version here is sometimes called a chauve-souris after the French word for "bat," since the side blades are thought to resemble a bat's wings.
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