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Corsèque
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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 <em>chauve-souris</em> after the French word for "bat," since the side blades are thought to resemble a bat's wings.
| Artist / Maker | Italy, Venice |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1520 |
| Culture / Origin | Italy, Venice |
| Medium | steel; round wood haft; tassel |
| Dimensions | Overall: 269.2 cm (106 in.); Blade: 36.5 cm (14 3/8 in.) |
| Department | Medieval Art |
| Type | Arms and Armor |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
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