Editing Francisca

{{short description|Frankish throwing axe}}
{{other uses}}
[[Image:Franziska.png|thumb|300px|Different types of francisca heads]]
[[File:Franziska b 1a.jpg|thumb|Francisca with shaft]]

The '''francisca''' (or '''francesca''') was a [[throwing axe]] used as a weapon during the [[Early Middle Ages]] by the [[Franks]], among whom it was a characteristic national weapon at the time of the [[Merovingian]]s (about 500 to 750 AD). It is known to have been used during the reign of [[Charlemagne]] (768–814).<ref name="Blair">{{cite book |last2=Blair |first2=Claude |last1=Tarassuk |first1=Leonid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJbyPwAACAAJ&q=The+Complete+Encyclopedia+of+Arms+and+Weapons |year=1982 |title=The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms and Weapons: the most comprehensive reference work ever published on arms and armor from prehistoric times to the present with over 1,250 illustrations |page=186 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=0-671-42257-X}}</ref>
Although generally associated with the Franks, it was also used by other [[Germanic peoples]] of the period, including the [[Anglo-Saxons]]; several examples have been found in [[England]].<ref name=Underwood>Underwood, Richard (1999). ''Anglo-Saxon Weapons and Warfare''. p.35-37. [[Tempus Publishing]]. {{ISBN|0-7524-1910-2}}.</ref>

==Etymology==
[[File:Francisca.jpg|thumb|Francisca on display in Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne, Germany]]
[[Image:Franziska Weingarten Grab 510.jpg|thumb|Blade of a Francisca from the Alamannic graveyard of Weingarten (6th century)]]
The term ''francisca'' first appeared in the book ''[[Etymologiae|Etymologiarum sive originum]], libri XVIII'' by [[Isidore of Seville]] (c. 560–636) as a name used in [[Hispania]] to refer to these weapons "because of their use by the Franks".{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

The historian [[Gregory of Tours]] (c. 538–594) in his ''History of the Franks'' uses two [[Latin]] terms for the Frankish axe: ''securis'' and ''bipennis''.

The régime of [[Vichy France]] used the image of a stylised double-headed ''francisque'' as part of its iconography (compare [[fasces]]).

==Description==
The francisca is characterized by its distinctly arch-shaped head, widening toward the cutting edge and terminating in a prominent point at both the upper and lower corners. The top of the head is usually either S-shaped or [[Wikt:convex|convex]] with the lower portion curving inward and forming an elbow with the short wooden [[handle (grip)|haft]].<ref name=Blair/><ref name=Underwood/> Sometimes the head is more upswept, forming a wider angle with the haft. Most franciscas have a round or teardrop-shaped eye designed to fit the tapered haft, similar to [[Viking]] axes. Based on the measurements of modern [[replicas]], the francisca had a haft length of around {{convert|40|–|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a {{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} cutting edge <ref>{{cite web | url=http://therionarms.com/reenact/therionarms_c399.html | title=TherionArms - Francisca axe }}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308055012/http://www.silvermane.com/Francisca.html |date=2021-03-08 }}</ref> with an average weight of around {{convert|600|g|oz lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Blair/> Based on the surviving heads of franciscas recovered at [[Burgh Castle]] and [[Morning Thorpe]] in county [[Norfolk]], England,<ref name=Underwood/> the length of the head itself measured {{convert|14|–|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} from the edge to the back of the socket.

==Use==

The [[Roman Empire|Byzantine]] historian [[Procopius]] (c. 500–565) described the Franks and their use of throwing axes:

{{blockquote|...each man carried a [[sword]] and [[shield]] and an axe. Now the iron head of this weapon was thick and exceedingly sharp on both sides while the wooden handle was very short. And they are accustomed always to throw these axes at one signal in the first charge and thus shatter the shields of the enemy and kill the men.<ref name=Underwood/>}}

Procopius makes it clear that the Franks threw their axes immediately before [[hand-to-hand combat]] with the purpose of breaking shields and disrupting the enemy line while possibly wounding or killing an enemy [[warrior]]. The weight of the head and length of the haft would allow the axe to be thrown with considerable momentum to an effective range of about {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Even if the edge of the blade were not to strike the target, the weight of the iron head could cause injury. The francisca also had a psychological effect in that, on the throwing of the francisca, the enemy might turn and run in the fear that another volley was coming.<ref name=Underwood/>

Some sources, strangely, describe the francisca as both the "main weapons" of the Frankish infantry around the time of Clovis and also describe the francisca as being a fierce melee weapon.<ref>Oman, The Art of War in the Middle Ages. Pages 15-17</ref>

==See also==
*[[Anglo-Saxon warfare]]
*[[Axe]]
*[[Battle axe]]
*[[Hurlbat]]
*[[Nzappa zap]]
*[[Tomahawk (axe)|Tomahawk]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*Gamble, James Douglas (2002). ''Axes of War and Power''. Tanro Company. {{Listed Invalid ISBN|0-9617220-1-5}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Francisques}}
* [http://www.axtwerfen.de An informative page about axe throwing, by Norbert C. Maier]
<!--* [http://www.sca.org.au/lochac/artsci/articles/axes.html Lawrence, Matthew (2001). Throwing Axes.]-->
*[http://www.regia.org/warfare/axe.htm Regia Anglorum page on Germanic battle axes]

[[Category:Francia]]
[[Category:Germanic weapons]]
[[Category:Medieval edged and bladed weapons]]
[[Category:Throwing axes]]
[[Category:Archaeological terminology (Germanic)]]