Maces

Medieval Warfare Information

An advance on the club, a mace is a wooden, metal-reinforced or metal shaft, 3 or more feet (a meter or more) long, with a head made of iron or steel adding another foot to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) to the length of the weapon. The head is normally about or slightly thicker than the diameter of the shaft, shaped with flanges, knobs or spikes to allow greater penetration of armor. It, like the war hammer and various other weapons of the time, came about because of the increased use of more effective armor on the battlefield.

A variety of mace called the morning star had its spiked metal ball suspended from a chain attached to the handle, rather than being directly mounted.

Medieval bishops carried maces in battle instead of swords, so as to conform to the canonical rule which forbade priests to shed blood.

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