Flail (weapon)
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Image:Klassischer-Flegel.jpg The flail is a medieval weapon made of one (or more) spiked metal balls attached to a handle with a hinge or chain. There is some disagreement over the names for this weapon; the terms "morning star," and even "mace" are variously applied, though these are used to describe other weapons, which are very different in usage from a weapon with a hinge or chain, commonly used in Europe from the 13th century to the 15th century.
Some of the confusion over this weapon may stem from its rare usage among the knighted class throughout history, which held the sword in much higher esteem. (The Hussites used the flail as its "national weapon", since they were all footmen rebelling against the class system.) There is no reason to believe that the military flail is appreciably more damaging than either the sword or mace, and it is not so heavy that it needs to be swung in circles to gain momentum before striking. (It is likewise not light enough to be used as a whip.) One positive characteristic of the flail is that, unlike a sword or mace, it doesn't transfer vibrations from the impact to the wielder. But the flail's primary virtue comes from the fact that it is difficult to parry, and can curve over a shield which would block a straighter weapon; of course, the physical flexibility of the military flail also leaves this weapon clumsy on the defense. Though the flail was effective, it was not common, in comparision to the sword or spear, nevertheless if was extremely effective if used as instead of cavalry while charging down upon the ranks of an army.
The term "flail" comes from the motion of the weapon, and was actually given first to a farming implement used to separate wheat from chaff. This was normally a block of wood attached to a handle with either leather or rope. The term "morningstar" actually refers to the head of a weapon (the small round spiked ball) and can be used for either a morningstar mace (on a shaft) or flail (if on a chain). Flails also sometimes had blunt round heads or flanges like a mace. Some written records point to small rings attached to chains on a flail used to inflict greater damage, but no historical examples are known to exist.
A variation of the flail is called a chain mace. It composes of a long chain usually wrapped in leather or another protective material, and has a steel ball at the end of the chain.de:Kriegsflegel fr:fléau d'armes he:כוכב השחר (אמצעי לחימה) la:tritorium pl:Cep bojowy nl:Strijdvlegel