Also called the gisarme and bisarme, the guisarme was a
medieval European polearm. It was used predominantly between the 11th and 15th centuries, and is thought to have been derived from a
pruning hook. The guisarme had a long, elaborately curved
blade, edged on the
concave side, with a
slender spear point opposite it. The guisarme could be used to
thrust at an oncoming opponent,
slash, and even topple a rider. The
curve of the blade, however, often interfered with
effective cutting or thrusting. It was combined, at various times, with both the
voulge and the
glaive, hence the creation of the glaive-guisarme and guisarme-voulge. All of these weapons vary in length from 6 to 10 feet, and vary in weight from fifteen to forty pounds