Editing Military fork

{{short description|Type of polearm}}
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[[File:Fourche de guerre 11.jpg|thumb|Military fork, ca. late 16th - early 17th century. About 2.5 metres overall. On display at Morges military museum.]]

A '''military fork''' is a [[polearm]] which was used in [[Europe]] between the 15th and 19th centuries. Like many polearms, the military fork traces its lineage to an agricultural tool, in this case the [[pitchfork]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Weapons of the World Encyclopedia |date=21 August 2007 |publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group |isbn=9780312368326 |pages=56, 62}}</ref> 
Unlike a [[trident]] used for [[fishing]], the military fork was rarely barbed and normally consisted only of two tines (prongs) which were straight compared to the original pitchfork. The pair of tines usually ran parallel or slightly flared. This weapon was relatively easy to use compared to a sword, which could take years to learn how to wield effectively. It was usually used in absence of a spear. Like a spear, the military fork could be used in tight [[Tactical formation|formation]]s and was often made with various minor customizations to improve use; in the example of the image above, the fork has a hook parallel to the prongs intended to "catch" the blow of a weapon, as well as two "hooks" intended to dismount a [[knight]] from his [[horse]].

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Fork}}
[[Category:Medieval polearms]]
[[Category:Pitchforks]]
{{Polearms}}


{{Polearm-stub}}