Swords were weapons that only the rich knights could afford to be crafted for them. It took skill to fire a bow, and maces were hard to create. An attacking lord of the Middle Ages clearly needed a weapon to supply his footmen, the most important part of an attack because they were the most numerous. Therefore, the pike was crafted.

Pikes were long, spear-like weapons that usually had a six or seven-foot wooden pole, adorned with a blade like an axe on the end, topped with a long point also of metal. The common soldiers were the men to use these things, they could slash, stab and chop their enemies all with this three-in-one weapon.

Spears were the first form of this type of weapon, reaching their heights around the eleventh century. But soldiers needed a more advanced weapon, one that could be lethal. Around 1200 AD pikes were first used, and they were almost as effective as swords until about the 1600's.