Head
A narrow steel point, built to thrust rather than cut.
A brief field guide · Europe, 15th–17th centuries
The long reach.
A pike is a simple idea taken to its limit: a small steel point on a very long shaft. Alone it was awkward. In disciplined ranks, it became a moving wall.
Meet the weapon
4–6 m
Typical length varied by place and period
Two handsto control the shaft
One pointto keep danger distant
Many ranksto make it formidable
01 · Anatomy
Simple by design.
The pike traded convenience for reach. Its few parts had to survive marching, drilling, and the violent pressure of two formations meeting.
Socket
The metal sleeve that fixed the head firmly to the wood.
Shaft
Long, straight timber turned reach into the weapon’s main advantage.
Butt
The rear end balanced the pike and could be braced against the ground.