Swiss Voulge

A halberd was also called a halbert or Swiss voulge. Halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that consists of a shaft and an axe mounted on the top of the shaft. The opposite of the axe mounted on the shaft was hook that was used to pull horsemen to the ground. Halberds were often used in the 14th and 15th centuries and they were very effective against approaching horsemen and were able to deal with spears and pikes of the enemy. With time, halberds were refined and reinforced with metal rims on the edges of the shaft and therefore making them effective against swords or other bladed weapons. The halberd was the primary weapon of the Swiss armies in the 14th and 15th centuries.