Daggers

Daggers

Facts and interesting information about Medieval Weapons, Armor and arms,
specifically, the Daggers

Definition of Daggers
The Dagger was a weapon used commonly during the Medieval times. A dagger is a short knife with a pointed blade used as a piercing, thrusting or stabbing weapon with a short, single or double-edged blade. The word dagger derives from the Latin word 'daca' meaning a Dacian knife. The purpose of daggers was as a secondary defence weapon which was used in close combat. Medieval daggers were held in one hand and used for thrusting and cutting

Different Types of of Daggers
Daggers was were used by Medieval Knights and in used in addition to their first choice of close combat weapon, the sword. There were many different types of daggers used during the Medieval times. The names given to some of these daggers are as follows:

• The Bollock daggers, also known as Ballock daggers had a distinctively shaped shaft, with two oval swellings at the guard resembling male genitalia (or bollocks). Also called Kidney daggers
  • Use of these types of daggers led to the expression in which to get, or to give someone a "bollocking"
• Dirk: A dirk was a Scottish variation of Medieval bollock or kidney daggers
• Basilard daggers were long bladed,  two–edged and long bladed often worn with armor and sometimes as a fashion accessory
• Main-Gauche was the name given to parrying daggers used with the rapier and held in the left hand
• Misericorde was the name given to daggers, similar to the stiletto,  used by knights to deliver a final "mercy" blow to the mortally wounded These daggers had a straight and narrow blade with a triangular section and only one cutting edge
• Rondel was the name given to the most common form of daggers and were single-edged long daggers. The hand-guard and pommel and were made in the shape of "roundels" meaning a circular shape from where the name originates

Description of Daggers
The weapons used the Medieval times include the Daggers. The description of the Daggers which provides basic facts and information about the weapon is as follows:

• Daggers was the earliest knives dating back to antiquity
• Medieval Daggers had a wide variety of hilt shapes and blade shapes which were determined by their function and how they were worn
• Daggers were used as close contact weapons
• The Daggers had a one or two-edged blades
• The length of the Daggers ranged from 6 - 20 inches
• Many of the Medieval daggers were so long that they were often viewed as short swords
• The weapon was primarily used for cutting or thrusting at an opponent
• Type or group of weapons - Cutting Weapon

Medieval Weapons and Armor - Daggers
The Medieval Life and Times website provides interesting facts, history and information about the weapons, armor and battles in Medieval history, including the Daggers, which scatter the history books. The Medieval Times Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts about the fascinating subject of the lives of the soldiers and knights who lived during the historical period of the Middle Ages. The content of this article on Daggers provides free educational details, facts and information for reference and research for schools, colleges and homework for history courses and history coursework.