憐憫之刃

憐憫之刃是一種長而窄的刀具，是中世紀盛期時人們對受重傷的騎士執行致命一擊的武器^[1]。憐憫之刃的刀刃很細，能從盔甲板之間的縫隙刺入人體。

在以刀劍為主的冷兵器年代，受了致命傷的騎士通常不會很快死亡，為減輕其痛苦，人們就會用到憐憫之刃；憐憫之刃還可用於在扭打中擊殺對手^[1]。憐憫之刃的刀尖能穿過十字軍頭盔的面甲或視孔，進而刺入頭顱，刺中大腦，也能穿過板甲上的孔洞和脆弱之處（如腋下位置），進而刺中心臟。憐憫之刃自12世紀起就已為人所知，德意志地區、波斯以及英格蘭的軍隊都曾裝備過該武器^[2]^[3]。至少從14世紀起，波蘭的騎士和王公們也開始使用憐憫之刃。

參考文獻

^ ^1.0 ^1.1 Bradbury, Jim. The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare. London; New York: Routledge. 2004. ISBN 978-0-415-22126-9.
^ Boutell, Charles. Arms and Armour in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: Also a Descriptive Notice of Modern Weapons. Paul Lacombe (trans.). University of Michigan Library. 2004: 324. ISBN 978-0-217-17547-0.
^ Riley, Henry Thomas (編). Memorials of London and London Life, in the XIIIth, XIVth and XVth Centuries. Being a Series of Extracts Local, Social, and Political, from the Early Archives of the City of London A.D. 1276–1419. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1868. OCLC 940160319.

[Routledge-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Bradbury, Jim. The Routledge Companion to Medieval Warfare. London; New York: Routledge. 2004. ISBN 978-0-415-22126-9.

[AAA-2] Boutell, Charles. Arms and Armour in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: Also a Descriptive Notice of Modern Weapons. Paul Lacombe (trans.). University of Michigan Library. 2004: 324. ISBN 978-0-217-17547-0.

[Riley-3] Riley, Henry Thomas (編). Memorials of London and London Life, in the XIIIth, XIVth and XVth Centuries. Being a Series of Extracts Local, Social, and Political, from the Early Archives of the City of London A.D. 1276–1419. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1868. OCLC 940160319.

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