II.
THE MEDIEVAL WEAPONS

4 - The Shock-Arms

THE BATTLE AXES

« PHỦ » & « VIỆT »

( 斧 - 鉞 )

       The Battle Axes belong to the Category of Shocking Arms, born from Antique Bronze Axes for becoming a kind of « Battle Axe » called « Đao-Phủ », that in nowadays we call briefly by « Phủ ». (See «Việt-Nam Dictionary - Ban Văn-Học, Hội Khai Trí Tiến Đức Khối Thảo», Ed. 1931, Hà-Nội)

       Battle Axes include Two Categories :

                    1 - The Category of Battle Axe Without Apical Spear Blade ;

                    2 - The Category of Battle Axe holding an Apical Spear Blade.



              1 - The Category of Battle Axe Without Apical Spear Blade : That's those called Battle Axe «Phủ» (斧), available in Three Classes :

                           A) The Class of the « Two Matched Battle Axes - Song-Phủ » (双 斧) ;

                           B) The Class of the « Unique Battle Axe - Độc-Phủ » (獨 斧) ;

                           C) The Class of the « Great Battle Axe - Đại-Phủ » (大 斧).



                 1A) The Class of « Two Matched Battle Axes - Song-Phủ » (雙 斧) : there's the Battle Axe with short handle, to make use by pair. That's of Battle Axes Without Apical Blade holding a Short Handle, measuring from 54 cm into 66 cm overall length, of a common use in Đại-Việt and in China.
                In bygone days, the Generalissimo Trình-Giảo-Kim (程咬金) (589-665) from the court of Emperor ĐƯỜNG Thái Tông (TANG Taizong - 唐太宗) was celebrious in the wielding of Two Matched Battle Axes.



                 1B) The Class of « Unique Battle Axe - Độc-Phủ » (獨 斧) : there's Battle Axe belonging to the category of Battle Axe without Apical Spear Blade and holding an average handle about 1,10 m overall length and including many various forms. Grosso modo, it's divided into Two Groups :

                              α) The Group of « One-Handed Unique Battle Axe - Đơn-Thủ Độc-Phủ » (單 手 獨 斧) ;

                              β) The Group of « Two-Handed Unique Battle Axe - Song-Thủ Độc-Phủ » (雙 手 獨 斧).


                     1B-α) The Group of « One-Handed Unique Battle Axe - Đơn-Thủ Độc-Phủ » (單 手 獨 斧) : This kind of Unique Battle Axe is wielded more often with two hands than with one hand ; it's of a common use in all the world.

One-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ »
THAILAND - 19th century

One-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ » INDIA - 18th century

One-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ » GERMANY - 15th century

                     1B-β) The Group of « Two-Handed Unique Battle Axe - Song-Thủ Độc-Phủ » (雙 手 獨 斧) : This kind of Battle Axe measures about 1,10 m overall length and is wielded with Two Hands, or in according to the moment, with One Hand.
                      That's of a Weapon commonly used in the world.
              This was also a weapon very widely used in Đại-Việt and this was also a renamed weapon of valorous generalissimo Tiết-Cương 薛 剛 in ĐƯỜNG Dynasty 唐 朝 period (618–907) and in those of the Empress Võ-Tắc-Thiên 武 则 天 (690~705) from China.

Two-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ » INDE - 18th century

Two-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ » MIDDLE-EAST - 16th century

                       In LÝ Dynasty period, various Categories of Battle Axes were developed into extrem. It's precisely thanks to that, in nowadays, our diverse Martial Arts Trends have been able to own subtiles and marvellous Codified Sequences teaching us the wieldind methods of varied Categories of Battle Axes.

Two-Handed « Battle Axe Độc-Phủ »
TIBET - 19th century

                 1C) The Class of « Great Battle Axe - Đại-Phủ » (大 斧) : there's Battle Pole-Axe Without Apical Spear Blade, but holding an edged hook on the opposite side of the Blade Axe and holding a long shaft and measuring from 175 cm into 198 cm of overall length for wielding with Two Hands. This Great Battle Axe Đại-Phủ includes many different forms. The most well know was those of the Great Battle Axe called « Khai Sơn Đại Phủ » (開 山 大 斧) (Great Battle Axe of Opening Mountains).

« Great Battle Axe of Opening Mountains » ( Khai-Sơn Đại Phủ 開 山 大 斧 )
TỐNG (SONG) Dynasty (960~1279)

                 This was the predilection medieval arm from yesteryear generals of Liêu (Liao) Dynasty (915–1125) and Tây-Liêu (Xi-Liao - Western Liao) Dynasty (1124–1218) . The valorous generallissimo La-Tinh-Hải of Tây-Liêu (Xi-Liao) Dynasty became celebrious thanks to this Great Battle Axe.

              2 - The Category of Battle Axe Holding an Apical Spear Blade : called Battle Axe « Phủ » (斧), and divided into Two Classes :

                           A) The Class of « Battle Axes with Short Apical Blade » ;

                           B) The Class of the « Battle Axes with Long Apical Blade ».



             2A) The Class of « Battle Axes With Short Apical Blade » : there's Battle Axe holding a handle of average length, wielded with Two Hands Mains or in according to the moment, with One Hand. This weapon was a ccommly employed in all regions in the world.

Hache d'Armes Qajar avec Lame Apicale Courte entourée de Barbillons épineux
et pourvue d'une Hampe Moyenne
IRAN - 19e siècle

                 2B) The Class of « Battle Axes With Long Apical Blade » : there's Battle Pole-Axe called « Việt Battle Axe - Yue Fu 鉞 斧 » by Chineses.
                 That's precisely a Weapon invented in ancient times by Vietnameses, from which his name of « Việt Battle Axe Việt Phủ» (斧 鉞), and it was adopted afterwards by the neighbouring countries. We distinguish in it Two Groups :

                              α) The Group of « Two Matched Việt Battle Axes - Song Phủ-Việt » ((雙 斧 鉞) ;

                              β) The Group of « Great Việt Battle Axes - Đại Phủ-Việt » (大 斧 鉞).


                    2B-α) The Group of « Two Matched Việt Battle Axes - Song Phủ-Việt (双 鉞) : there's the Battle Axe with an Apical Blade and holding a Short Handle, with an average length measuring from 54 cm into 66 cm overall, to make use by pair.

« Two Matched Việt Battle Axes »
( Song Phủ-Việt 雙 斧 鉞 )
(Re-Enactment for Training in Martial Drill Halls)

(Photo Credit : ChinaTown Shop)

                     2B-β) The Group of « Great Việt Battle Axe - Đại Phủ-Việt » (大 斧 鉞) : there's the Battle Axe with an Apical Blade and holding a Long Shaft and measuring from 175 cm into 198 cm of overall length for being wielded with Two Hands.
                    Although this Great Battle Axe Đại Phủ-Việt has a weigth relatively heavier than the one of the Great Battle Axe Khai Sơn Đại Phủ (Great Battle Axe Opening Mountains), it's yet much more dreadful.
                    And it was a specific Medieval Weapon of Đại-Việt.
 

The Great Việt Battle Axe - « Đại Phủ-Việt »
(大 斧 鉞)

(Photo Credit : Bình-Định Sa-Long-Cương France)

                    The Great Battle Axe Đại Phủ-Việt (大 斧 鉞) was till chosen as Ceremonial Arm for the Sacrifice Day of NAM-GIAO and for Warrior Dance of Eight Ranks of Eight Mimes at the Imperial Court in the period of NGUYỄN Dynasty (1802-1945).

Battle Pole-Axes and Shields in Warrior Dance of Eight Ranks of Eight Mimes on the Sacrifice Day of NAM-GIAO,
under the reign of NGUYỄN Dynasty's Khải-Định Emperor (1916-1926).

       Since lateri 19th century, a kind of Battle Pole-Axe Đại Phủ-Việt (大 斧 鉞) was created rather for decorating the Medieval Weapons Display than for using on battlefields :
 

Battle Pole-Axe Đại Phủ-Việt (大 斧 鉞) rather for decorating the Medieval Weapons Display
than for using on battlefields.
- Việt-Nam - Later 19th century -

( Photo Credit : swordforum.com )

• The Battle Axes Wielding